Young and Built to Fall
by fingers-falling-upwards
Summary: Ace will save his nakama. He will save his father. And he will save his little brother and ensure Luffy's happiness even if it kills him. Again. Thankfully, he won't be doing it alone. Together, he and Luffy will change the world.
1. A Day in the Life

**Hello. This baby has been on the backburner for over a year. I've finally decided to start posting it. I have a bit over 100,000 words already written out, so expect weekly updates for quite a while.**

 **Beta love to HadenXCharm and breather for the wonderful, wonderful corrections. This fic would not be possible without them. If there are any flaws, they are probably changes I made after they gave me the chapter back.**

 **Now the first chapter of Young and Built to Fall.**

* * *

 _Chapter 1: A Day in the Life_

* * *

Ace's body itches with the familiar sting of open wounds. He hisses as the rough surface of whatever he's leaning against scrapes against them with every breath he takes. His eyes flicker weakly beneath their lids as he tries to figure out where he is and why he feels so incredibly weak. What had he been doing before this? Where is he? When had he gotten here, and how? His mind blearily searches his memories for answers, and what he finds makes his heart skip a beat.

Dark eyes shoot open before wincing at the bright light that assaults his senses. The moment Ace's eyes adjust enough, his gaze immediately finds his own chest. And he wonders, why, why, _why_ isn't there a hole?! After what happened with Akainu, there should be a hole! . . . And yet, he feels no pain, nor the tightness of a new scar.

God, this has to be a dream. Can only _be_ a dream.

"Are you finally awake, brat?" a gruff voice asks.

Ace's head shoots up so fast that he hears his neck crack. That voice is unmistakable, but there is no way it can actually be—

"D-Dadan?!" he stutters, before choking on the word. His voice, what is wrong with his voice? It's high, so much higher than it should be. He was too distracted before to pay any attention, but looking back down at his body he finds it's much tinier than he remembers. It's almost how he looked when he was a little kid— and then there is Dadan and he— he's dreaming about his childhood, isn't he? This is a dream. It's the only possible explanation, it has to be, since he's no longer drinking in the smoke and destruction of Marineford. But then, maybe that was a dream too . . .

"Yeah, you little shit."

His eyes rove her familiar face, taking in the weather-beaten skin and wild orange hair before he notes that she had gotten beat up somewhat recently.

"Where am I?" he asks distantly. "What happened?"

"Lightheaded from the blood loss, eh?" Dadan murmurs, mostly to herself. "Well brat, you're going to have to face up to this again sooner or later, and I don't plan to let you live in blissful ignorance; you need to hear this."

He swallows and waits.

"Sabo is dead," she says bluntly. "Dogra saw his boat get blown up—"

"I know," Ace says, his brow furrowing. "Why are you—? Huh, I guess this is a dream so it doesn't really matter."

"You're not dreaming kid," Dadan replies, the roots of concern leaking into her voice.

"Right, of course," he says dismissively as he cranes his neck to look around his childhood home. From the outside at least everything seems spot on. It's a little unnerving, but seeing this place again is soothing and nostalgic.

"Look, kid, I'm going to cut you down so you can get some rice and water in you, because honestly you're pretty out of it. I'll help you, but that's only if you promise not to attack me or anyone else in the hideout, okay?"

"Okay," he says, eager to see things again.

"Don't 'okay' me, brat," she growls. "You went on a rampage. We're still fixing the floor."

"Okay."

"Gah!" She grabs her knife and cuts through the ropes binding him to the tree. Ace lands a little unsteadily on his feet, but he straightens himself out before he starts walking. He enters through the back entrance of the base to reach the main area that doubled as the cooking room, where he remembers countless battles over food. He sees many of the bandits sitting around the room, but notices that they give him a wide berth. Ace ignores them. If he remembers correctly, they always tended to do that, way up until he was sixteen or seventeen and began behaving like the polite child he never was.

"Here, eat this before you pass out." Dadan shoves a bowl of rice into his small hands. He's a little surprised to see that the portion is larger than he remembers her ever giving him. He shoots her a curious look which she pointedly ignores and avoids. With a small shrug, Ace moves towards one of the walls and sits down to nurse his bowl of rice. He slowly eats his meal with his hands as he looks around the room.

He has to admit that he is thoroughly impressed with his own memory. He's never had such an incredibly realistic dream before. The familiar dank smell of the bandits' hideout and then the rough grain of the wood that made up the floor filters through his senses relaxingly. The sting from his wounds is awfully realistic too, and Ace remembers that the cuts won't fully heal for a few days. Looking at his hands, he is still disconcerted by their small size. The same uncomfortable feeling goes for the rest of his body too. Ace doesn't remember ever being so perturbed by something while dreaming but shrugs it off.

As he swallows the last bit of rice he looks up and finds himself facing a group of very nervous looking bandits. Ace glances at them curiously, wondering why they are eyeing him with such wariness. He pauses as he is struck by a thought. If he remembers correctly, this is right after they told him that Sabo died— and also his subsequent snap. There's a pang in his heart, as there usually is, when he remembers his dead brother, but he deftly pushes it to the side. Well, that would explain why they're so frightened of him, he supposes.

"Ace," Dadan draws his attention. Of the bandits, she is the only one who doesn't look terrified. Instead, she has a gruff expression on her face that does little to muffle the concern in her eyes. "What's wrong with you?" she asks bluntly. "You don't eat this slow unless you're sick or dying."

Is _that_ why everyone's looking at him oddly?

A slow bright laugh builds in his chest and he chuckles alone for a few moments. His slow eating coupled with a lack of barbarism from exhaustion is what has them so freaked out? He forgot how much he used to frighten them. By the time he calms down, everyone has moved to the back wall, as far away from him as they can get. He puts a hand to his mouth to smother another laugh before it can escape. It's just too much. He smiles impishly as he stands and moves towards Dadan and the frightened bandits, before clearing his throat.

"Thank you very much for the meal," he says formally, giving a small bow. He's glad he's facing the floor or else the bandits would see the wide smile that takes up his face as he hears small shouts of panic, frightened murmurs, and hushed prayers. He composes himself quickly and draws his face into the impeccably cool façade he remembers using a lot as a child. As he looks up blankly, they jump again. He smirks inwardly before he walks out the front door to explore.

"Oi, A-Ace," Dadan stutters, and he obligingly turns to face her. She is clearly as bewildered as the rest of the group, but regains her brash nature quickly and manages to speak to him as belittlingly as he remembers her doing. "Go find Luffy. The kid hasn't eaten in three days."

Ace frowns, but nods and starts running towards the cliff by the sea. He forgot that Luffy mourned differently than Ace, though just as dramatically. Ace remembers the panic he felt when he realized Luffy starved himself, and feels the ghost of it even now. It had been a tough time for both of them. Despite that pain, he's excited to see his annoying kid brother again, (even if it is just seven-year-old version). Luffy was such a different kid back then, but the enthusiastic smile so unerringly bright and full of understanding and compassion that far surpassed his years would follow Luffy long after their childhood. Ace suddenly feels an even stronger urge to see his brother. He begins running faster. The blood loss and the aches from being tied up make him misstep and Ace tumbles to the ground. He sits up from the rough dirt in a haze. His legs hurt. So do his palms, which he sees that he's scraped on the ground.

His hands are trembling as he looks at the blood on his palms and knees. It . . . hurts a lot. Why does it hurt? He has never felt pain like this in a dream. The stings he feels from the smattering of wounds he already has on his childish body from the fight with Bluejam are just a part of what he remembers. But Ace also feels this new pain. As he inhales and exhales rapidly he feels short of breath, something that surely has never happened in any of his dreams.

Then perhaps this isn't a dream.

As the memories of the war at Marineford keep flashing in his mind, he knows there is an alternative. It's entirely possible that he died and is dreaming about his childhood in death. Or something like that. He isn't too sure how this death thing works, but he supposes this isn't really overshooting the realm of possibilities or anything.

So this is just a really weird afterlife, complete with pain and crystal-clear memories. Ace shrugs to himself. It isn't as though he can prove otherwise. However, if this is true then it means he _died_ and left little brother behind . . .

He pushes himself up quickly, ignoring the sting of his wounds and begins pumping his arms and legs rapidly. The paths through the jungle are ingrained into his brain from all his years dashing through the greenery, so despite the time Ace spent away, he's able to quickly cut a path through the forest to the seaside.

He bursts through the thick foliage of the forest and looks around frantically and spies a small figure of a boy resting on his back. A straw hat covers the boy's face, keeping it in shadows. Suddenly Ace _needs_ to see Luffy— needs to feel his brother living against him. He almost lost Luffy. Akainu's fist had been so terrifyingly close to punching through his little brother's heart, and he had barely made it in time.

Ace scrambles gracelessly to his brother, tripping in his haste over the uneven ground as he goes. He finally lands roughly beside Luffy and shakes his brother furiously.

"Luffy! Oi, Luffy! Wake up!" Ace rattles the smaller boy fervently, knocking the straw hat to the side.

Luffy groans as he shakes his head lightly and blearily opens his eyes. Onyx eyes that Ace knows so well blink a few times slowly as his brother wakes up.

"Ace?" Luffy murmurs.

"Luffy." Ace smiles. He soaks in his brother's youthful appearance. Luffy looks identical to how he did when he was seven, right down to the smattering of bandages that cover his body. He exhales, taking refuge in the familiarity of this Luffy and the _aliveness_.

"Ace, where are we?" Luffy asks in a dazed tone that is still muffled by sleep.

Ace freezes. Something about Luffy isn't fitting with everything else. The confusion in his tone and the slight edge in his eyes — these eyes are more mature, like the eyes he saw at _Marineford_. But that's impossible because Ace is dead and—

"Ace, why are you so small?" Luffy sits up and grabs Ace's hand, flipping it over in amazement. "You're like a kid again! How did this happen? This is so cool! And you're alive, oh my God, Ace." The last fact seems to have finally sunk into Luffy's head, and he leans forward and wraps his rubbery arms around his brother tightly.

"L-Luffy, but I mean—"

His little brother doesn't seem to hear him, too occupied with chanting a small mantra of Ace's name.

"I'm so happy to see Ace, I don't care if this is a dream," Luffy says, crushing Ace to him as much as possible.

"This isn't a dream Luffy," Ace protests, gently shoving his younger brother off of him. "I mean I think so . . . probably . . . _maybe._ "

"But you're all tiny . . ."

"So are you!" Ace accuses. Luffy looks down and his eyes widen comically.

"You're right!" he exclaims with shock.

"You are so dense."

Luffy ignores the insult as he examines his new-old body with undisguised fascination. "So cool! It's like when I use Gear Third and shrink down like this. But this doesn't feel like that at all. So weird." His rambling makes no sense to Ace so the older boy just ignores it. He wants to know why the Luffy from the future is here.

"Yeah, I know, it's weird," Ace says, impatient. "But this is my afterlife, so what are you doing here?"

"Your afterlife?" Luffy asks before arguing back, "Is not!"

"Of course this is my afterlife."

"This would be a shitty afterlife. Why would you wanna' be at the bandit hideout as a little kid?" Luffy asks. "That's dumb! Why didn't you pick sailing on the seas with your nakama?"

"Well, I didn't really pick any of this. I just woke up here. I guess I'm stuck."

"That sucks," Luffy says sympathetically.

"I know."

"Wait!" Luffy exclaims, pointing an accusing finger at his brother, as if he was purposefully trying to throw him off track. "This isn't the afterlife, anyways! Don't distract me!"

"I didn't do anything, Luffy." Ace feels a headache building as he tries to sort through the knowledge. Why is he even bothering to correct his little brother? This version of Luffy is most likely a figment of his own mind. Why the hell his mind decided to have his brother's older brain in his younger body, Ace has no idea. This whole afterlife thing was starting to seem overly complicated.

"This isn't your afterlife because if this _was_ your afterlife, then why would _I_ be here?" Luffy demands. "I remember everything that happened!"

"You're probably a figment of my imagination," Ace answers flippantly, although he is finding it hard to argue against Luffy. Admittedly he doesn't know what exactly happened, but he is pretty sure that Luffy is wrong.

"What?! Am not!" Luffy protests, and Ace chuckles. Seeing his brother getting so outraged when he looks like a seven-year-old is pretty funny. Maybe that's why his subconscious chose to make Luffy the way he was . . . This could be some fucked up version of heaven.

"I'm not part of your mind, Ace! I'm really here!" Luffy cries.

"Right," Ace murmurs in a placating tone.

"Ace!" Luffy complains, getting frustrated that Ace is ignoring him. Ace has to wonder how exactly that overly whiny tone is supposed to convince him. He grins toothily. He missed this. The ire from Luffy's face immediately fades, and a brimming smile spreads over his lips.

The freckled boy exhales and laughs at his brother's mercurial moods. He watches as his little brother scoots back towards him and leans over to kiss the top of his forehead. Ace lets him, knowing that there's no point in questioning what his brother does.

Ace takes advantage of his closeness and ruffles Luffy's hair, eliciting a giggle from his seven-year-old brother. Luffy's shoulders shake from laughter and as the smaller boy looks up, Ace sees he's shaking from tears as well.

"I'm really glad Ace is alive. You don't know how happy it makes me," Luffy says. Tears roll down his face, dripping in and around his smile. The oldest of the pair feels an ache build in his chest, because he isn't alive. He didn't survive. He's dead. God, what the real Luffy must be going through is unfathomable to Ace. Despite that sympathetic pain crushing his heart, his chest also throbs with unquestionable joy and Ace is helpless to stop it. He doesn't often need reminding, not like when he was a child, but hearing someone say they are glad he is alive always makes warmth spring up in his chest. Growing up the way he did— this is the last thing he ever expected to hear.

Ace is dead now, he knows that. He also knows that this Luffy isn't _his_ Luffy, but it looks like his Luffy. And he also knows that his Luffy would say it— his brother said it before, and would have said it again— if he ever had the opportunity. That's just the kind of guy that Luffy is.

Remembering that fact only makes his heart hurt more for the brother he left behind in his death. Ace grasps Luffy and pulls him tightly into his embrace. Ace tries to use the warmth he feels to negate the fathomless self-loathing that is festering within him. The Luffy in his arms is more than willing to fall into his embrace and comfort him.

It hadn't really struck Ace exactly how _close_ he had truly been to losing his little brother. If Ace had been a little slower and failed to reach Akainu's magma-laced fist before it reached Luffy— it's too terrible to even imagine. He can't _bear_ to imagine it. His grip tightens around his little brother. Never.

"Ace?" Luffy asks tentatively. Ace realizes his tempestuous expression is worrying his brother and he quickly smoothes his face.

He exhales calmingly. He prevented that fate from befalling his brother. It's all okay. Ace trusts Jinbe to get his brother out of there, and he trusts his brother's nakama to pick him up when he falls down. Luffy . . . Luffy will be okay without him.

Ace could never live in a world without Luffy, but Luffy, bright as he is, could survive, and Ace takes refuge in the fact.

As for Ace's second family— he shuts his eyes to block out the images.

"You look like you're thinking really hard," a muffled voice says against his tank top. Ace realizes that he has been completely crushing his little brother against his chest.

"Sorry, sorry." He relaxes his grip, but doesn't let go. The two sit face to face, just staring at the other.

"Hey, Ace?" Luffy puts a hand up towards Ace's cheek.

"Hmm?" he replies easily.

"Don't cry, okay?"

Ace blinks and looks down at Luffy's hand, which is suddenly glistening and wet. The elder of the pair is momentarily stunned by the sight, and suddenly realizes that there is a veritable waterfall streaming from his eyes.

"Luffy!" Ace cries as the events crash down on him. The prison. The war. His rescue. His _death_.

"Everyone was sacrificing themselves for me! I-I couldn't do anything!" The freckled pirate falls short of breath as the scope of what happened finally hits him. The death count must have been astonishing on both sides. He never wanted anyone to die— especially not for him.

"Ace." Luffy's soft utterance brings Ace's eyes back to his brother, his bright, shining brother. It isn't the real one, he knows that and perhaps that fact makes it easier for him to break down. Beyond that, the fact he knows this Luffy isn't real comforts him immensely. It means that Luffy is still out there, alive.

"I'm so glad you are alive," Ace chokes out.

Luffy starts opening his mouth, but Ace cuts him off as he plows on. "My life had meaning, Luffy."

"It already did," Luffy says, and now he's crying too. "Your dream, Ace— You became a famous, awesome pirate with an awesome crew and a huge bounty— everyone knew you were there. You were so, so, so, strong! You did it Ace. You did it!"

"No, Luffy. In the end it didn't matter that I was a famous pirate." Ace exhales, feeling a sense of calm settling in his body.

"But that was your dream . . . to have proof of your existence."

"You are my proof, Luffy," Ace says softly and fondly. Luffy's argumentative expression jolts to a stop, frozen by the reply. "Well, not you, but you- _you,"_ Ace clarifies before a gentle smile grows over his face. "Because I know that you're alive out there pursuing your dream, I know that my life had meaning."

His little brother's mouth opens and closes repeatedly as he just stares at Ace, and the latter starts wondering if he had broken his imaginary-Luffy. Thicker tears begin pouring out of Luffy's eyes and the expression on his face is so pained and inexplicable that Ace is at a total loss. The distress, at least, is clear to see, even if the rest isn't— and so Ace just grabs his brother close again and pets his hair. This action sets off a whole string of anguished sobs.

"It's alright, I'm here." He murmurs those words over and over again until his brother's sobs begin to peter out.

Eventually when his brother falls silent, Ace lets his motions stop and just rests his hand on his brother's head. Luffy looks up at him, eyes determined, though watery.

"Never leave me again."

"You couldn't make me."

* * *

The two sit on the cliff side for several hours just murmuring little things every now and then as they lie on the grass together. Luffy clings to Ace's side fiercely, and Ace hasn't objected in the slightest, craving the closeness himself— although the rocks and grass do dig into his already aching body.

It isn't until Luffy's stomach growls that the two remember the outside world.

"Why don't we get something to eat?" Ace suggests with a smile as he stands, sticking a hand out to his brother.

"Yeah!" Luffy grins and pulls himself up.

The pair trot through the familiar woods together, exploring the details that had grown blurry in their time away. The forest is much younger than it was when Ace left at seventeen. Which makes sense seeing as it was seven years earlier than when he had first left. Still, the level of detail in everything he sees still stuns him.

Luffy oohs and ahhs in delight as they dash through the complex network of branches, roots, and vines that had been their childhood. His little brother never strays far from Ace's side, and Ace doesn't want him to.

"Ah. I wonder if our fort survived," Luffy ponders aloud.

"It should be fine. If I remember right it's just a little ashy from the fire," Ace replies, shielding the sun from his eyes. "It isn't very far away from here, actually."

"I dunno' if I wanna' see it right now."

Ace looks at Luffy sideways before nodding. "Then we don't have to." The event of Sabo's death is suddenly so _close_ to them. Ace will pretend for Luffy that he isn't bothered anymore by what happened to Sabo. To himself though, he doesn't try and hide exactly how much he still can't reconcile the injustice. He'd finally moved past it at last, but now that they are back here, a few days from when it happened, the emotions long since buried are being dredged up from within him until they rest just below the skin— Ace doesn't feel like letting them out anytime soon. The look on Luffy's face is complex, and Ace knows it affects him significantly too.

"Come on, let's find you something to eat," Ace says, distracting his brother (and himself) from the melancholy thoughts.

As expected, Luffy perks right up and turns an excited expression towards his brother. "Food!"

"What do you want?"

"Alligator!" Luffy exclaims.

"Alright, let's go to the swamps then. Try not to get eaten Luffy," Ace says with a teasing smile. Not that he would ever let that happen, but the affronted expression on Luffy's childish face is too funny.

"Shut up! It only happened twice!"

"Twenty-one, Luffy," Ace corrects, as the duo jump through the jungle.

"Was not!"

Ace just smiles and enjoys the simplicity of it all.

The amount of time it takes them to wrangle their dinner is absolutely pitiful— it scarcely takes more than ten minutes. Ace wonders how weak he must have been as a child to have actually struggled somewhat to catch his meal. Though Ace no longer possesses the Mera Mera no Mi, he's enough of a threat through brute strength and battle instinct alone. He isn't _nearly_ as strong as he was as an adult though.

Ace forgot how weak his body had been at this age. . . but weak as he is, it's still a cakewalk to get the gators. His little brother doesn't struggle either. Luffy's control is far superior to how Ace remembers it being as a child, further confirming Ace's hypothesis that the iteration of Luffy in front of him is completely the same as the one he left behind. Ace still doesn't quite know what to think of that particular detail.

By the time the sun is beginning to set, they have five large alligators to show for their effort. Ace gives Luffy three when he remembers that at this time in the past, his little brother hasn't eaten in three days. Luffy devours all three alligators in record time. Ace sees how Luffy eyes his own alligators and sighs before giving him the tail. They can always catch a bigger quarry tomorrow for breakfast. Luffy's lack of eating certainly concerns Ace more than his still partially empty stomach. After their dinner, the duo decides to head back to the bandits' hideout to get some rest.

Luffy is bouncing on his heels with excitement as they walk. Ace understands his brother's feelings— seeing their old home is beyond nostalgic. Even seeing Dadan is sort of nice, which Ace never thought he'd say. Luffy fills the silence with his genial babble, continually soothing Ace's mood. Ace laughs along with Luffy's grand motions and over-the-top exaggerations. He's beginning to think that the lying sharp-shooter rubbed off on his little brother, but then again, most of Luffy's stories stretch beyond the average person's scope of imagination so no one could ever know if it's hyperbole or the truth.

"Dadan!" Luffy's fond cry draws Ace's attention to the bulky figure blocking the doorway. Luffy attaches himself to her impressive girth and hugs her excitably. She's obviously surprised by Luffy's warm welcome, but hides it under her typical bluster.

"What are you two doing here?" Dadan grunts, blushing as she tries and fails to push an affectionate Luffy off of her. "Didn't you move out?"

"We're bunking here tonight," Ace states calmly.

"You can't just barge in here and say that!" Dadan snaps.

"Yes I can. Please?" His lack of violent reaction visibly unnerves her.

Luffy joins in from his place on her hip. "Pleeeaaseeee?"

"You're both damned leeches," Dandan mutters and both boys know they have won. "But you two had better bathe before you take another step in this house!" she declares.

"No." Ace sees the dark bags under his little brother's eyes and feels the sluggish drag of his own depleted energy reserve. Both of them need to just sleep above all else.

"No?!" Dadan overreacts as she often does.

As Ace expects, his little brother completely backs him up simply for the principle of it.

"Nope." Luffy pops the 'p.'

"We're both really tired Dadan, can we argue about this later?"

Ace isn't lying either. He spent two weeks in agonizing captivity, fought in a war, been killed, reunited with his little brother, and cried more than he ever wants to admit. Ace is ready to turn in for the night.

"You—"

"Boss," Magra murmurs from the side, gently poking Dadan with his elbow. "They're probably exhausted after everything with Sa—" He cuts himself off and his eyes flicker to Ace nervously. Dadan grunts but acquiesces.

"Alright, but if you break the floor again you can sleep in the jungle for the bears to eat for all I care!"

"Thanks, Dadan!" Luffy exclaims as he finally detaches.

"Thanks, Dadan." Ace gives her a cheeky grin as she winces at his polite words. Ace is _really_ enjoying messing with her and the rest of the bandits.

Luffy and Ace climb up to the room on the second floor where they and Sabo used to sleep when they stayed with the outlaws. After getting into so many fights in the common sleeping area, Dadan finally gave the three brothers their own room— if only so she could sleep soundly at night. Not that it helped at all when they broke the floor over her head one night. It all seems so far away now. Despite how familiar everything is, there are enough differences to throw Ace off balance.

Both boys are physically and (very) emotionally drained. Ace falls backwards onto the floor with a light thump. He lies on his back, staring at the familiar dirty ceiling.

Luffy crawls over near Ace. He carefully places his hat to the side so he won't squish it in his sleep, but as ever, his precious treasure is well within arm's reach. After that he lays down near Ace, holding his arm out in a silent request. Ace grants it immediately and pulls his little brother towards him so that his dark head is resting on Ace's shoulder.

The familiarity of the position soothes both of them.

"Ace," Luffy says.

"Hmm?" Ace murmurs, on the precipice of unconsciousness.

"Promise me you'll be here in the morning."

Ace pauses before he replies. "Of course."

Without another word the two drift off into sleep.

* * *

The next morning Ace wakes slowly in the sunlight. There's already loud sounds coming from downstairs, not that he really notices. He's more preoccupied by the pair of rubber arms that have apparently wrapped around his torso _three_ times sometime during the night. Ace tugs at the stretchy skin, seeing if Luffy will let go of him easily. As his little brother continues snoring away, Ace figures he'll have to smack his brother awake.

Ace stays his hand as he remembers everything that happened. This is probably the quietest Luffy will be all day, and Ace decides to take advantage of it so he can order his thoughts.

To be perfectly honest, Ace is a little surprised that he's still here. He half expected to wake up in a void or rise from the strange dream. He didn't though. He's still right where he'd been last night. It's reassuring to him because not only has he told the truth to his little brother, but it also means they can spend time together jumping through the jungle, just like they did in the past. Maybe his afterlife isn't as substandard as he initially thought. His memories with Luffy when they were both kids are certainly his most precious, so perhaps the decision to come back to this time and place isn't as random as it appears. He smiles in anticipation.

"Ace."

The freckled boy's eyes shift to his little brother, whose face is furrowed in distress. Seven-year-old Luffy never had an expression like that, which only reminds Ace of the strange situation. This Luffy really behaves like he saw his brother die . . . Ace exhales sharply. Even though he knows that the Luffy beside him is a figment from his mind, Ace is still pained at the very thought of his brother's grief. He knows that it's very likely a reflection of what the real Luffy is going through as well, although the Luffy back in the real world does have his nakama to guide him back. This Luffy . . . well, Ace will just have to comfort him, won't he?

"Oh, Luffy," Ace murmurs, petting his little brother's hair. Instead of calming Luffy down like Ace hoped, his little brother begins squeezing him even tighter. Hands loop over his arms quickly and before Ace realizes it's happening, the former whitebeard pirate finds himself trussed up by his little brother. His chest is being squeezed fiercely, and Ace wishes he had the Mera Mera powers. He doesn't want Luffy to get burned . . . but being solid really sucks.

"Luffy!" Ace shouts, trying to wiggle out of his brother's rapidly tightening grasp. He growls in irritation as his brother sleeps on, unaware that he is slowly cutting off Ace's air supply.

Ace brings his head back as far as he can before slamming it into his little brother's face. Luffy's neck extends farther than is natural and Ace has to dodge the recoil. The grip stops tightening though, and Luffy groggily opens his eyes.

"Ace?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Ace grunts. "Can you let go of me now? I sort of need to breathe," he says, voice strained. Luffy's arms unwind from his body but he doesn't fully let go. His hands still rest on Ace, making the older boy look at him. Dark eyes stare blankly at Ace, unblinking and intense.

"What is it?" Ace asks, concern leaking into his voice.

"I thought it was a dream," Luffy says after a pause. The realistic behaviors and reactions from the afterlife version of his brother still catches Ace off guard.

"Nah, I'm still here, little brother."

Luffy finally smiles his wide, familiar grin that Ace happily returns. The brightness of the morning can't be dampened even when Dadan irritably shouts up the stairs for them to get off their lazy asses and do some laundry.

The two exchange looks before breaking out into snickers. Wordlessly Ace goes over to the window and opens it before leaping down, Luffy right behind him. They begin sprinting away from the hideout even though they don't have to run to get away.

"Breakfast!" Luffy exclaims excitedly, as the affronted shouts and threats from Dadan begin fading.

"Bear?" Ace suggests.

"Bear!" Luffy shouts.

* * *

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 **Ahh, I love time travel. This is definitely an Ace and Luffy centric fic, bordering on AceLu, but never quite reaching it. If all this brotherly love makes you uncomfortable, probably best for you to leave now. The last thing I want to do is make anyone uncomfortable.**

 **For those of you still here, anticipate angst galore in the next chapter. This is part 2 in my "I'm not even remotely over Ace's death fic collection." If the urge comes upon you, feel free to review. I'll see you all next week!**


	2. Looking Through You

**Hello, again~**

 **Here I am a week later.**

 **Thank you for the reviewers:** **Mythril Lace, funmom, Weird-Sunny-Chan, bibliophile030, and Kiddiluna.**

 **Also, eternal gratitude to HadenXCharm and breather, who are bae betas.**

* * *

 _Chapter 2: Looking Through You_

* * *

It's been years since Ace and Luffy were children, but somehow, their old habits slide right into place— like he and Luffy never truly left them behind. The two brothers wake up with the sun in the morning, and then run away from Dadan as she hoots and hollers at them. After a feast of whatever creatures they crave from the jungle, they practice fighting with each other. Neither take the battles seriously in the slightest. Ace is still adjusting to being permanently permeable. Despite his new handicap to his fighting style, he's still able to dance out of the way of Luffy's attacks and knock the rubber boy over. Luffy never gets cross, like he did in their childhood. Instead, Luffy, covered in dirt and or grass and whatever else was on the jungle floor where Ace knocked him, grins and demands another fight and another. Ace has to reinstate their old limit of 100 fights per day because they spend hours and hours just mock battling each other. If Luffy got his way, they would fight for whole days at a time.

After sparring, the two break for a late lunch, and spend the rest of the time exploring their old childhood haunts. They wander up and down the snowy mountains, hunting the tigers that sometimes dwell there and have multiple snowball fights that, despite Luffy's extreme rubbery advantage, Ace still manages to win the vast majority of. They reacquaint themselves with the younger jungle, generally stumbling over the slight changes as they go. The more time they spend there though, the more right the jungle feels. The jungle is home again.

They don't just revisit their old childhood hangouts; Ace and Luffy go to new places, starting with visiting Fuusha village, something they never actually attempted in their childhood. Garp will probably kill them if he finds out, but Ace figures they should be safe from his visits for a while still.

The first time they visit, Luffy starts crying the moment he sees Makino, and Ace nearly cries too. She looks exactly like he remembers, right down to her shiny green hair and the kindness in her eyes. Both boys spend a lot of time with her in that visit, barely separating themselves from her if they can, even going so far as to follow her into the kitchen when she volunteers to make them something to eat.

Makino laughs gently at their behavior, and assures them that they are free to visit her whenever they like. And so they do. At least twice a week the duo passes through the jungle to Fuusha village and visit with their mother figure. Every time, Makino receives them with open arms. The rest of the village doesn't take their continued presence as easily. Although some of the villagers remember Luffy (mostly due to Garp), none of them have ever seen or even heard of Ace. They're distrustful at first, but his protectiveness of Luffy gradually wins them over. Not that Ace cares. Makino is the only reason he comes here. She was one of the bright spots in his early interactions with people. In fact, she was the first actual lady he'd ever gotten acquainted with. Dadan doesn't count for obvious reasons.

He quickly asks her for manner lessons, much like he did in the past. Partially he does it out of a desire to have an explanation for his often preferred formal speech, but also just as an excuse to spend time with her. Makino agrees instantly and is delightedly surprised by his quick uptake, which Ace feels slightly sheepish about. Ace also presses Luffy into getting a few lessons himself. Luffy pouts, and whines when Ace makes the suggestion, but eventually caves without too much fuss. Ace figures that secretly Luffy wants time with Makino too. Luffy grudgingly learns the lessons, only so that if he ever has to ask for things on his crew's behalf he can do it properly. Later, in private, Ace asks if he's speaking of something in particular, and Luffy tells him about how his doctor joined. Ace can't help but feel proud of his little brother and his quiet humbleness.

He also asks if Makino will help his little brother read better. Luffy can read, but he can't read very well. Ace himself learned his more advanced vocabulary from Marco, who read often in his personal time. Currently neither boy has access to books, so Ace nudges Luffy towards Makino who is, unsurprisingly, quite well-read herself. Makino struggles to teach his brother, not because Luffy can't grasp the concepts, but because he's so easily distracted. Ace brings a plate of meat into the lessons one day and tells Luffy that if he can read the passages Makino prescribes correctly, then he will get a piece. Ace means it mostly as a joke, but it's so startlingly effective that Ace continues doing it every lesson. Makino just shakes her head at them and chuckles.

Thus, Luffy grudgingly works through the better part of Makino's collection. The adventure books in Makino's shelves cushion the blow of having to read so much, and Luffy does enjoy them. Despite that, Ace knows Luffy will never be a big reader, too impatient, too excitable, and too intent on living to be a scholar, but at least he understands concepts more easily.

The mountain bandits' hideout becomes another new playground. Both Ace and Luffy try and prank the bandits while remaining unseen. They're caught more often than not, and laugh with delight when Dadan chases after them. The bandits still aren't used to the new, polite version of Ace, and both he and Luffy get a kick from making them squirm uncomfortably. Dadan manages to take everything in stride, although Ace does catch her looking at him sideways sometimes.

One place the duo steers clear of is Grey Terminal. It's still too close to the destruction and fire. Skeletons and charred remains can be found still among the dirt and ashes. Not to mention the thick stench that Ace remembers never fully faded away even years after the event.

The pair fill their days with adventuring, fighting, laughing, and just being together. Ace cherishes each and every moment of it.

Their nights, on the other hand, are different. At night, the dark shadows that leaden both Ace's and his brother's minds crawl out into the moonlight and assault them endlessly.

As they always did in their childhood, the two sleep tangled together in a familial heap, but somewhere along the way it becomes a necessity, they soon realize. The one occasion where they tried to sleep apart because Ace had caught a mild cold, Luffy jolted awake with a nightmare. The still somewhat unfamiliar surroundings, coupled with the blood-caked memories startled him so badly that he became violently sick.

Ace can't say he's much better when he wakes from a nightmare. The first thing he reaches for is his rubbery brother, because it's the only thing that soothes his troubled mind. They need to be close. At least when the two are together they can immediately calm themselves and each other down. After Luffy had thrown up though, Dadan reaches the end of her rope and the two are forced to move back into their base. Both know that they should have moved out of the bandits' hideout much sooner because of the constant nightmares, but they were avoiding the base. Sabo is there. Sabo is all over that place. No matter how many years pass, going to their old home brings everything back to the surface. Ace sees the extreme look of confliction on Luffy's face whenever the topic of their other brother comes up, so he avoids it when he can. No more though.

The day they move in is one of complete silence. Neither Luffy nor Ace say a word as they move their meager collection of things back in. They catch dinner and then turn in for the night. It's only when Luffy begins shouting in horror that the silence is shattered.

At least there's no one nearby to see the two boys curling up in pain beside each other— Luffy trembling furiously inside of Ace's tight grip or Ace fiercely clutching his brother against himself, desperately in need of comfort.

Neither of them can bear being very far apart from each other, day or night. Neither go hunting on their own. Neither will bathe on their own. Neither eat alone. And certainly neither can sleep alone.

Makino notices it and comments on it, but a sad look of understanding quickly covers her face. Ace tries to smother the slight guilt he feels because no, no she doesn't. None of them understand either boy anymore. The only person to understand Ace is Luffy, and vice versa.

Luffy and Ace often talk about their adventures and friends. Ace enjoys it a lot because it helps him keep all of his friends in his mind. He often wonders what they're doing in the real world. Oddly enough, Luffy tends to ask Ace more about his adventures, as opposed to talking about his own, which Ace certainly finds alarming, since his brother is generally self-centered in that respect. He chalks it up to his afterlife-subconscious thing. He figures that coming up with believable adventures for Luffy to go on is a little too challenging for his subconscious to imagine. He also considers that this Luffy's behaviors are slightly influenced by his mind, making him a little less self-centered and a little more aware. Most of the time though, Ace barely notices the difference because of how identical this Luffy acts to the original.

It's . . . hard remembering that this Luffy isn't actually his own Luffy. The boy is bright and vibrant and inexplicable in all the ways Ace remembers. He knows it isn't really Luffy, but that doesn't stop him from treating this version like it is him. The warmth is so similar that Ace sometimes forgets. He always wished he could help Luffy read better because he was continually ashamed how little he could teach his little brother when they were growing up. He protects this Luffy from every harm, as he always did the original. And he loves this Luffy just the same — despite how he knows this Luffy isn't real. He spends time, and teases this Luffy with the same jokes because it makes Luffy smile, and when Luffy smiles, Ace smiles. Even though he knows that none of this is real, and it's all in his mind, it feels real— and what's so bad about pretending, anyways?

Though Ace knows he's dead, he cherishes each and every 'day' with his brother. He wakes each morning, incredibly relieved to find that he's still here — unquestionably joyful that he has another day with Luffy.

Time is so fluid that Ace barely notices the passing of the days. He does notice though, that Luffy slowly grows more and more restless. Ace wonders what the problem is. They don't do anything different during the day, and he sees the genuine joy in Luffy's smiles and laughs. Despite that, he sees the anticipatory twitching of his brother's body and the agitated look in Luffy's eyes.

His little brother's nightmares are also beginning to get out of control as four nights out of the week Ace is woken up by choked sobs and apologies. As ever, he soothes his brother until the younger can fall asleep, but as time wears on, more and more often he finds himself staring at the ceiling, utterly perturbed by his brother's increasing distress. Ace gently presses his little brother for information, but is always evaded with a smile and a simple, yet sad shake of the head. Luffy then pulls Ace into the jungle and that is the end of that.

Even if this isn't really his brother, Ace still feels the urge —no, the need— to help. He's also curious as to why this figment of his brother is behaving this way at all. If it is Ace's subconscious like he guesses, then why is it making Luffy get sadder and more stressed as time draws on? (Not that he would ever know just by seeing his brother in the sunlight, bright and cheerful as ever.)

Who exactly is in control of this imagined brother of his?

Ace toys with the theory that perhaps the Luffy copy is responding to his guilt concerning leaving his actual brother behind. Ace dearly wanted to comfort Luffy after his death, so it's possible that his subconscious is allowing him to do so with his own Luffy copy. Despite that, Ace has a sneaking suspicion that there is something deeper than just his death stirring around in his brother's brain. The devastated and self-loathing looks that occasionally appear in Luffy's eyes speak of a pain that goes beyond just the loss of a brother— even if the brother is beyond precious. Besides, the two are together again. If it was just Ace, then Luffy should be improving instead of getting worse. But he isn't.

Ace wants to soothe his little brother, but he doesn't know how he's supposed to help, seeing as much of what happened to Luffy on his adventures remains a mystery to him. Ace doesn't even know if his subconscious can actually create a story for this Luffy. How can he ask about things his brain doesn't know? There is one thing that he knows of and that his brother saw. It's also the only way he knows to get his brother to work past his death.

It's an unspoken agreement that neither of them ask about Marineford. The topic is taboo for both of them. There's too much pain. Ace rolls the idea around in his head for weeks. Every time he opens his mouth to bring up the conversation though, Luffy looks at him with a smile — and Ace can't bring himself to ruin that.

One morning though, Ace awakes to feather soft touches over his stomach. He opens his eyes to see that Luffy is tracing a circle over his ribs and stomach, a circle that marks a hole where Akainu's fist had once been. The blankness of his brother's expression and the emptiness in the usually vibrant eyes utterly disturbs him. Ace grabs his brother's hand, startling him from his dark thoughts, and pulls Luffy back down so that he's lying down on his side facing Ace.

"Luffy, what happened at Marineford?"

Ace knows what to expect, knows that his brother will be in pain. Despite that, he can't prepare himself for the complete sorrow and grief that covers Luffy's face, nor how he curls up into himself, nor how his grip on Ace's forearm grows tight and desperate.

"You know what happened at Marineford." Luffy's reply is soft, contradicting the harsh pain in his expression.

"I want you to tell me what happened. I want to know what you went through that day."

"No," Luffy says, voice clear and firm.

"Luffy," Ace presses.

"No. I won't, Ace! I won't!"

"Please, Luffy," Ace beseeches.

"Why would you make me tell you that?"

"Because I need to understand."

"You don't. You don't, Ace."

"How can I be at peace if I don't know what I put my little brother through?! I can't make any peace with my crew, with everyone who sacrificed themselves for me. At least let me make peace with you."

Luffy opens and closes his mouth twice, floundering at Ace's reply. The older boy knows that Luffy understands what he's saying. He also knows that Luffy can't deny him this.

"Me, Iva, Jinbe, Crocodile, Buggy, and all the freed inmates were on our way to Marineford on one of the navy ships. When we got there a huge wave came out of nowhere and almost swallowed us. We rode the wave straight to the top but right as we were getting close to you, everything froze into solid ice. The shelf broke and we fell into the battle."

Ace listens as his brother explains all the blood and violence he witnessed in jilted, fragmented sentences. Despite the disjointed storytelling, Ace is able to matchup Luffy's actions with what he remembers seeing from atop the executioner's platform. Luffy rambles on about the different people he saw at the battle, his old enemies, and the sheer amount of people he plowed through in his quest to rescue Ace. The more Luffy talks, the flatter his tone becomes, and the more Ace's chest aches. By the point Luffy's story reaches the top of the executioner's platform, every word from his brother's lips is tight with emotion. His voice cracks so much as he speaks about the key breaking and then the hope created by Mr. 3 and his candle copy, that he has to stop and clear his throat three times.

"I thought—" Luffy cuts himself off before swallowing and trying again. "I thought I saved you."

Ace merely pets Luffy's hair. He's incapable of words. 'Sorry' doesn't seem anywhere near enough to communicate all the regret, and guilt festers in his chest.

Luffy shudders but continues on. His story dwells on them fighting together, and Luffy recites every detail of the fights blow-by-blow. Eventually though, Luffy runs out of material, and he reluctantly moves forward in the story. When his story progresses to the point where Ace committed one of his greatest sins by turning around to face Akainu, Ace is completely prepared to hear, at the very least, hints of accusation and anger, but he doesn't hear a syllable on the subject. Luffy instead speaks of how weak he was from the hormones, but how he should have been stronger, how he should have moved away when he realized he was getting weak, how he shouldn't have weighed Ace down. That nearly breaks Ace, but he's too numb to say anything as Luffy reaches the final leg in the journey.

"A-and you know what happened then, Ace." Tears are falling down Luffy's face, and have been for some time now.

Ace does. Ace knows, and has stewed over every second of it with angst and self-loathing. But Luffy's self-accusation is something Ace can't let be. Ace holds his brother close, trying to be the comforting presence his brother needs as he feels sobs wrack Luffy's small frame.

"Luffy," he murmurs against his brother's black hair.

"I couldn't save you, Ace," Luffy cries. "I couldn't save anyone!"

Ace quickly assures his brother, "Hey Lu, I'm here," Ace presses, trying to calm his brother down.

"You died, Ace . . ."

"It was okay, really!"

"N-No you weren't! Your blood was all over my hands and clothes and my hair and I couldn't get it out of my fingernails and I—"

Ace squeezes his brother tight before slightly pulling away from the embrace to look him in the eye. "Luffy, it's okay! I'm here for you, okay?"

Instead of soothing his brother, it seems to start another round of sobbing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't save you!" Luffy's cries.

"Luffy, you already did." Despite the circumstances, Ace's subtle joy lights his watering eyes. Luffy will never understand just how much he has done for Ace.

"Thank you, Luffy." He can't stop the smile, nor the tears, though he tries.

"Don't thank me when I let you die!" Luffy shouts, voice cracking. His grasp on Ace's hand is so tight he's cutting off the blood circulation. Ace's eyes widen as he sees the sheer despair in his brother's eyes.

"Luffy . . ."

"Why did you save me?!" Luffy demands. "Why couldn't you just leave me?"

Ace almost chokes out a laugh from the sheer ridiculousness of that statement. As if he would. As if he ever could. Their bond is his most precious treasure. Always has been. Ace knows that if Luffy died, he probably would have followed after. He doesn't think he is particularly weak for his choice because Luffy is just so important to who he is. Luffy taught him love; both how to give and receive it. Ace never understood what family was. He never understood what love was. And he never understood how anything could be so good— until Luffy came along with his stupid smile and forgiving nature, and taught Ace.

Almost every good thing that happened in his life came after the fact.

He would probably have never met his other family if it wasn't for Luffy, and even if he had, he could never have accepted his father's offer of family. With his fractured definition of the word, how could Ace even reconcile what a family was? Why it's so valuable, and what Whitebeard's offer really meant. No, he would never have understood. Though he loved Sabo, he found something in Luffy that he never realized he was missing, and his sweet little brother gave it to him without a word, without understanding it, and without a regret. Luffy gave Ace a base. Someone who he never had to prove anything to, someone who always believed the best in him, someone who always loved him— Luffy gave to him unconditionally, and that was something he would never find anywhere else.

Luffy gives Ace a purpose, and a reason for strength. His little brother is something special. He possesses some inner power to change the people around him and keep positive. Ace wants to protect that, he wants to give back some of what Luffy had given him.

Letting Luffy die was never an option. Luffy is a part of who he is— Ace's most treasured part. He doesn't know when it happened exactly. Somewhere, along the road as he began mellowing out, he started caring about Luffy. He started caring so much— caring more than he thought he could ever be capable of. Sabo's letter certainly nurtured it, and then there was the bear . . . Ace should have been better.

And that is just another reminder why Ace could never let Luffy die, even if it came at the cost of his own life. Surviving and knowing that he was unable to protect the only pure thing in his life would be his utter undoing.

He feels a pang of guilt at the thought of what his suicide would do to his other family and he lets it sit in his mind because he deserves it. Despite that, even with his nakama, he doesn't think he would be able to stay stable— let alone be happy.

Luffy and Ace spent more time with each other than they had with anyone else in the world. Ace knows his brother in and out, and Luffy knows him the same way. There simply isn't another Luffy in the world, and Ace doesn't think he'd be able to handle a world without one. But Luffy is better than him— stronger than him. He knows Luffy can do what Ace can't; live without the other.

"Let you die? You have to be kidding me." Ace murmurs the reply into his little brother's hair. "That's what an older brother's job is; to protect their stupid little brothers."

Ace's reply only makes Luffy cry even more. His little brother burrows his face once more into Ace's shoulder and Ace just places a comforting hand on his back.

After a time, Luffy's tears finally peter out. The weight in the air is dense and unsettling, and Ace is more than ready to put an end to Luffy's pain and stop the aching discussion. Before he can suggest they go hunting, Luffy's mouth opens again.

"I don't remember a lot of what happened afterward," Luffy murmurs. "Your old man died, he was killed by Blackbeard. But he died standing proudly. He never bowed to anyone in his whole life."

Ace's thoughts screech to a halt. He knows that his father's death was likely inevitable, but hearing it is another thing. But why is Luffy telling him this? Why is the story going on after Ace's death?

"Jinbe told me a lot of this stuff because I was pretty out of it," Luffy continues on, unaware of Ace's inner torment. "When I woke up, I was in the Heart Pirates' submarine. Torao actually turned out to be a doctor. He has the Ope-Ope fruit so I suppose it makes sense. Anyways, I was in a bad way. I wanted to die, Ace. I wanted to die because I was without you."

Ace nearly chokes on air at the admission as his brain struggles to catch up with what he is hearing.

"But then Jinbe forced me to remember that I had my crew left. I couldn't abandon them and their dreams. We said we were gonna' meet back up in three days at Sabaody, but I knew that we weren't strong enough for the New World. I wasn't strong enough for the new world." Luffy's hands clench and unclench.

"So I changed our meeting time to two years. We would all train for two years so we would be ready for the New World. I trained with Rayleigh to learn all of the Haki on an island near the Island of Women. I trained so that I would be stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger and stronger!" Luffy gasps, out of breath from his tirade. "I trained so I could protect everyone, so that I would never have to lose anyone again." Luffy's eyes grow hollow. "It seems that I never can get strong enough."

Ace doesn't understand. He doesn't understand at all. He listens as his brother explains how he trained for two years, how he thought about Ace and his crew daily. When they all reunited Luffy waxes poetry about how much his crew members had grown, and their new powers and techniques. He talks about their trip to Fishman Island, their adventure in Punk Hazard, and their triumph in Dressrosa. The last one makes Luffy pause repeatedly, as though he isn't certain of what to say. Ace distantly wonders what his brother thinks is so horrible that he has to leave it out. Mostly though, Ace is bewildered and numb at everything he hears.

"Then, we ran into Blackbeard." Luffy's voice goes flat, completely bereft of the excitement it had just held as he spoke of his crew. Slowly, Luffy explains their naval battle, and the harm done to the _Thousand Sunny_. They were out of cola, and couldn't escape. All of his crew fought valiantly. They were at a disadvantage of strength, but stood their ground. They could have won those battles through sheer tenacity and because they were Straw Hats, who never stayed down. But Blackbeard didn't play fair.

Blackbeard threw one of his own crewmembers overboard and then used Luffy's split-second of distraction to attack Nami from behind. Luffy was too slow to stop Blackbeard. Sanji saw the attack coming though and jumped to intercept it. His legs were burned by the blackness of the Yami-Yami no Mi, and his opponent used the opportunity to crush his rib cage beneath his boot. Nami, who finally turned around, was stunned and horrified. Luffy wasn't in any better shape. Brook leapt forward to stop Sanji's opponent from attacking Nami. Brook, the Humming swordsman was fast, but he couldn't outrun the blades and guns of three opponents as Sanji's, Nami's, and his own enemies turned their attention onto him. His skull was cracked beyond repair. Nami slumped to the floor in horror, going into shock. Luffy ran forward, but the darkness emanated by Blackbeard smothered him, making his weak and slow. Blackbeard got to Nami before Luffy did, and then he shot her.

Luffy pauses there and took a few deep breaths. Ace then realizes that his brother's heart is racing, and his young face flush with sweat.

"I can't remember much of what happened next," Luffy admits slowly. His tone is dead. Ace thought that his brother's voice reached its lowest point, but he was wrong, he was so wrong.

"Robin told me later that I just snapped. I killed most of Blackbeard's crew with Haki. I didn't know you could do that before."

Ace didn't either.

"I killed Blackbeard too. Robin told me that I made him suffer, so I suppose that was good, maybe."

"L-Luffy," Ace speaks, voice cracking from the emotions in his chest.

His little brother continues on, as though he didn't hear Ace's call.

"Everyone else lived but after that, things were never the same. We all agreed to take a month off of our adventure as we tried to understand what had happened. Not that anyone could. But . . . there was no explaining or accepting anything that had happened."

His expression turns sorrowful.

"I never can protect anything, can I?"

Ace opens his mouth to reply but finds he doesn't have the air to.

"I was trying to figure out if I should kill myself or not when I met this lady."

His brother's nonchalant words make Ace's world spin.

"This lady said that she could help me fix things. She said that she had heard about me punching the Tenryuubito. Apparently her sister was enslaved by them and died. I did something she never could, and so she wanted to do me a favor." Luffy pauses as he rearranged his thoughts.

Ace on the other hand is struggling just to keep a hold of his mind. Every thought is fleeing at the shock and horror that's slowly being revealed by every sentence of his brother's terrible story.

"She ate the Wish-Wish fruit. Apparently, she can grant five wishes, but only for other people. She can't do anything for her own selfish motivations, I think she said something like that. She already used three of them, but offered me the fourth. I said yes. She said I could wish people back to life if I wanted, make myself a billionaire, become immortal— there were no rules. I could have wished you and Nami and Sanji and Brook back to life, if I wanted to."

"You didn't?"

Luffy shakes his head. "I didn't. It wouldn't be enough. Everything was too fucked up to be repaired by that point. So I wished that I could go back in time to fix things."

Luffy exhales as Ace tries to wrap his mind around the latest curveball.

"Six months ago I woke up by the sea. You were shaking me. And for whatever reason, you were my Ace. I didn't understand what was going on, but I do now. I know that I can make things better." The fire that Ace feared was long since extinguished flares to life in his brother's eyes. The gaze sharpens, tempered by pain and determination. His attention finally reaffixes itself back to the present, and for the first time in hours, Luffy is looking at Ace, and not through him— into another world, into another time. Whatever Luffy sees on Ace's face must be awful because his brother's expression morphs into anxiety and concern.

"Ace . . ." Luffy begins, brow furrowed.

"Shh," Ace utters. "I need . . . I need to think about this for a moment."

Luffy nods and rises, intent on granting Ace privacy. He doesn't get far before Ace yanks him back down.

"You stay where you are." Ace is distantly aware that his hands are trembling as he pulls his little brother into him. Ace and Luffy often slept on each other, but they rarely clung to one another in a more intimate embrace. At the moment though, nothing else is adequate for Ace.

His mind wanders as he tries to make sense of it all. First and foremost there's the issue with what passes as reality. If he's to believe what Luffy is saying, then that means Ace is decidedly not in the afterlife. The alternative being . . . what, time travel?! It seems more than a little ridiculous. People don't go back in time.

He thought that, certainly, but Luffy's weight is warm in his arms. The salt of Luffy's tears is just beginning to dry on his thin tank top. Luffy's story— oh god, Luffy's story. That is something Ace doesn't think his mind could ever imagine, and nothing an afterlife of any kind would create. The rawness of his brother's emotions and pain is too much, it's too real. A dream is completely out of the question by this point. The afterlife explanation begins to feel more out of the scope as his senses and mind were immersed over the months in Luffy and their childhood home. It seems so real . . . Ace has no preconceived notions about what the afterlife is supposed to be like, but he never imagined that it would be like this. So suppose he believes his brother, what does that mean?

His Luffy went through hell after he had died — witnessed the deaths of his crew and contemplated suicide of all things. So Ace failed. It would mean he completely and utterly failed.

It would also mean that the Luffy in his arms is actually his Luffy. He isn't a figment of his imagination, he's Ace's brother. It means that all along Ace was spending time with his Luffy, was sleeping and eating with his Luffy, was comforting his Luffy, is currently holding his Luffy. And Ace had no idea.

But Luffy knew. Luffy had known all along, but he hadn't said a word— hadn't wanted to burden Ace with his problems. Maybe he also wanted to pretend none of it happened. Ace understands that. The jungle is so far away from the blood-spattered battleground of Marineford . . . the problem could never remain unaddressed forever though.

The source of his brother's pain has slowly been encroaching on him whilst Ace was unaware. Left unattended, it began swallowing Luffy, his baby brother, his purpose for living. After everything Ace heard, he knows that he can't just leave it be. His brother needs more support than Ace ever imagined, even in his darkest nightmares. That is, if this is true.

Can he really accept what Luffy is saying? If Ace believes everything that Luffy claims, then Ace's world will be forever changed.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this when you got here?" Ace asks.

Luffy burrows his head into Ace's shirt as though to escape the question. "I meant to tell you, I really did," Luffy replies eventually. "But you were so happy thinking I was still alive out there and then you told me I was your proof." Muffled sobs come from his shirt again and horror built in Ace's mind as understanding set in.

"I'm not worth being you proof!" Luffy cries. "I almost killed myself, Ace! I'm not strong enough and I'm sorry, so sorry that I ruined your legacy." Luffy's grip tightens on Ace's shirt. "This time will be different though," Luffy murmurs, sniffling. "Things will be different."

Ace waits for all of it to sink in but finds that the information just floats around in his brain, cushioned by grief and terror.

"Luffy, do you really believe that we traveled through time," Ace asks softly.

"Yes," Luffy replies as he pulls a little away from Ace's embrace.

"You know how impossible that sounds, right?"

"It's the Grand Line," Luffy says simply, as though that explains everything. Then again, Ace supposes it probably does. Stranger things have happened.

He takes a deep breath. Even thinking about going along with Luffy's theory is beyond crazy . . . but then again, everything about this is crazy.

"What did you wish for exactly?"

"That I could go back in time to when I was with you, my big brother."

It's possible that this lady, whoever she was, picked Ace as he was in the future because he was the iteration of the big brother Luffy knew. Ace is his big brother, not the one from the other timeline that that the two invaded. Fuck. He's actually trying to apply logic to this chaotic and messed up story, isn't he?

"Please believe me," Luffy pleads. His brother is beseeching with him to accept what he is saying and Ace feels like crying.

"Did she say anything else?" Ace asks, trying to arrange everything in his mind.

"She just told me I'd get another chance."

"Another chance at life," Ace thinks aloud. It seems too good to be true. If he believes Luffy's tale completely, then what just happened is nothing short of a miracle. Ace realizes then and there exactly what opportunity has appeared before them. "She sent us back in time— before all of it happened. We can change anything we want. We can save our nakama."

Luffy's eyes fill with similar determination and he nods solemnly.

Ace grabs Luffy's face and leans his forehead against his brother's and stares at him right in the eyes. "You and I are going to change the world." In that moment he embraces his brother's story fully, allowing himself to be swept away by the strong current. He expects doubt, and confliction to rise in his mind, but instead all he finds is determination. He will save his nakama. He will save his father. And he will save his little brother and ensure Luffy's happiness even if it kills him. Again.

Luffy meets his gaze head on. "No more regrets."

"No more regrets," Ace promises.

* * *

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 **Thanks for reading. What's above is accomplished via fanfic magic. See you all next week. One more angst chapter before we get to some lovely, lovely fluff.**

 **Review if you like!**


	3. I Feel Fine

**This is the shortest chapter of the entire story. Also the last angst chapter in our opening scene; we have nice lightheartedness and plot stuff next chapter. Not that there won't be more angst in the future . . . Because seriously, these boys can't just be 'okay' after all this shit.**

 **Thanks for the reviews, xxlawaceboluxx, bibliophile030, funmom, Weird-Sunny-Chan, N Harmonic, Mithril Lace, Yven, mapplepie, guest [2 reviews] (07/19/15), ichigo1508, phonenix, Thea, PsychoRien, and Beyond Kailani. Seriously, you all are the best!**

 **Speaking of awesome people . . .**

 **breather and HadenXCharm are two wonderful beings who beta'd this. If there are flaws, I bet it's stuff I added after the edit.**

* * *

 _Chapter 3: I Feel Fine_

* * *

After their painful discussion, things are forever changed. Neither boy ever directly references it again, but everything they speak of now has to do with what they need to do in the future, how things will go and how strong they need to be— Ace finds he no longer has the energy to talk about his nakama and Oyaji, because every time he opens his mouth to tell a story, he remembers everything they need to do before he can see them again— all the things he can't mess up if he does want to see them again. The memories suddenly seem weighted down by something so incredibly heavy Ace fears he won't be able to lift it, like an iron curtain has been hung between himself and the future he longs for. No matter what he decides, he'll try anyways. With the future laid out before Ace and his brother, they both know there isn't a second to spare.

They begin with physical conditioning. The fights they have are no longer just for sport, they're for training. Nearly every stop is pulled out, and both boys are left wounded, bleeding, and exhausted at the end of every day. They keep going anyway.

Luffy surprises Ace when he tells him that Rayleigh taught him all three kinds of Haki and that his little brother mastered all of them. Ace has a moderately good understanding, but never trained in it as seriously as Luffy has, and so they decide mental conditioning must come next.

Luffy found out early on that he still retained his power, but not his control. During the first day of training, he knocked Ace out on accident and was so incredibly distraught that Ace had to comfort his stunned brother for hours after the fact. It takes longer still for Luffy to come back around to the idea of training in Conqueror's Haki more.

It is a terrific struggle for Ace and his brother to earn every drop of control they can manage. It takes a long, long time for them to reach a point where their control and physical conditioning is sufficient that they're immune to each other's conqueror's Haki. Luffy offers a soft smile once and tells Ace that all he feels now is little waves of _Ace_ and not his lethal willpower. After that, they focus on keeping it from affecting other people and creatures.

Their minds started aching though from the constant use of willpower, but they plow forward. Of all the tools in their belt, Haki is by far one of the most important.

Nights, if anything, have somehow gotten worse after the discussion, for Ace especially. He hates waking his brother up so often with the bad dreams and ghosts that haunt his sleep. Luffy needs rest, and the only solution would be to sleep apart from Ace, but the older can't bear the thought of sleeping without him anymore. Sometimes his brother's face is the only thing that keeps him from having a meltdown after dreams of his dead father and nakama haunt his mind.

Six out of seven nights in a week, the two wake due to nightmares, and more often than not the horrific images and trembles refuse to fade for hours afterwards. As they realize that there is simply no way to fall back asleep easily, they do the only thing they can to soothe their aching hearts— they train.

They visit Makino less and less, because they can't afford to waste a single second, and eventually, their visits stop completely. Neither bother messing with Dadan and the bandits anymore either. They devote themselves fully to their mission. Everything fades into the background except for their goal and each other. Time moves by without either noting it with anything more than upset. Their time is gradually slipping from their fingers. Months pass and the outside world becomes a blur.

Until a punch knocks them out of it.

Ace and Luffy are taking a breather after one of their more intense fights when the Fist of Love descends upon them like righteous thunder. Both are too stunned by the attacker's presence to dodge or even harden their bodies with Haki.

"YOU IDIOTS!"

The boys pull themselves off the ground with terrified expressions.

"Dadan tells me that she's barely seen hide or hair of you in the past three months! I almost thought you two had run away! You need to check in with Dadan at least once a month so I know that you morons are actually here. I need to be able to find you if I want to train you into becoming strong Marines!" Garp shouts.

"Don't you mean 'beat' us into strong Marines?" Ace mutters irritably, grabbing his head. Somehow it doesn't matter how much time has passed, how much conditioning he's been through, Garp's fist still smarts more than any other punch he's ever gotten. He automatically reaches for his little brother so he can check him over. Underneath Luffy's hat there's bump on his brother's head, but what really concerns him is the wide-eyed look Luffy is giving their Grandfather. Ace grabs his brother's hand and squeezes it firmly.

In Ace's own mind, visions of his last memories with Garp flash painfully. Those final moments remain as crisp as the day they happened, and Ace will never forget the unfathomable expression on his adoptive Grandfather's face, nor the pain in his eyes. Luffy's responding squeeze shakes Ace from his memories and he faces their grandfather again.

Garp's eyes narrow as he looks between the pair and their joined hands. "What the hell have you two been doing while I was gone?"

"Training," Luffy replies.

"That's my Grandkids! Training to become Marines, I'm sure!" The last part sounds more like a threat than praise.

"Yeah right. We're going to be pirates, Jiji. Give it up already," Ace snorts, mostly out of habit.

Garp's expression grows predictably irritable. "NOT ON MY WATCH!" He sends his fist hurtling towards Luffy, only to have Ace immediately sense it and redirect it into the forest. Their grandfather is so shocked by Ace's Observation Haki that he makes no move to dodge Ace's fist and is sent smashing into the tree.

"Screw you, you shitty geezer!" Ace replies angrily. "Don't hit Luffy!"

"Aaaaace," Luffy whines. "I could have done it."

Ace smiles unapologetically.

The crashing sound of trees falling alerts them to the fact that their grandfather is back on his feet, and both of them jump as they realize what they've done.

Garp's expression is complex, but the overall tone is one of anger. If Ace had actually been as young as he looks he would have missed the small points of surprise and fear— Fear because now Ace has just shown he possesses the same power his father had, and at such an astonishingly young age. Ace has no idea how to explain himself.

"When exactly did you learn to do that?" Garp asks, voice quiet and intense.

"The fire at Grey-Terminal." Ace decides to tell the truth. "Bluejam was going to kill Luffy."

To Ace's trained gaze, Garp's eyes soften a little in guilt and regret. The freckled boy can't bring himself to feel sorry for the old man. He deserves to feel a little guilt.

" _What the hell was he even thinking leaving Luffy here in the first place?"_ Ace thinks mutinously.

"I see. And what else do you know?"

Ace chews the inside of his cheek as he tries to figure out what he should reveal. Eventually he just shakes his head, deciding not to say any more. "That's it. I just know that I can tell when people are coming."

Ace can practically see the cogs moving in his grandfather's mind. Ace doesn't blame him for being so taken aback.

"Me too."

Both Ace and Garp turn to face Luffy, who is looking at his grandfather with a carefully blank expression. Ace wants to smack his little brother for being so absentminded, but he's more concerned than anything else for how their grandfather will react.

Before he can say anything, Garp darts towards Luffy. Ace immediately moves to intercept, but their grandfather knows it's coming this time, and Ace's body isn't fast enough to avoid the rebounding hit. He's sent skidding through the trees, breaking the trunks of more than a few as he goes. He stands as quickly as he can, ignoring the stinging of his head. His eyes seek his brother and he's relieved to find Luffy is unharmed, standing a little to the side from Garp's still-extended fist. What concerns Ace though is that their grandfather's hand is lodged in a tree, and Luffy's arm is coated in black from deflecting it.

"Armament too," Garp murmurs in surprise. Ace freezes in horror. He doesn't know what's going through their grandfather's mind, he doesn't know what the consequences of their actions will be, so Ace does the only thing he can think to— he runs to Luffy and stands in front of him.

"I'm going to guess you can do this too?" their grandfather asks.

Ace doesn't reply, just glares at the older man.

"You two learned all this on your own?"

"So what?!" Ace snaps.

"You boys have gotten strong." Garp rubs the top of his head, looking more tired than Ace ever remembers seeing. "Stronger than I ever thought you two could get training on your own— especially since it's only been a year since my last visit!" All of the unsaid implications echo in Ace's head. He should have been more careful. Garp's always done everything he can to keep them hidden, keep them away from the eyes of the world. But they've just shown him that their strength goes beyond most average pirates. What he'll do with that knowledge, Ace doesn't know.

"We need to be strong, Grandpa." Luffy's calm voice rings through the clearing. "So strong that we never have to lose anything again."

Their grandfather clearly isn't expecting this. A hint of understanding bleeds into Garp's eyes and Ace figures that he is remembering Sabo, which isn't true, not really.

"Grandpa, please train us!"

Ace sends an utterly alarmed look towards his brother. He hadn't thought Luffy would go so far as to ask _Garp_ of all people to help. Then again, Ace probably should have known. There is nowhere that Luffy isn't willing to go to help the people he loves.

Ace turns and looks towards their grandfather curiously, wondering what he will decide. Garp's always tried to keep them hidden while simultaneously doing everything in his power to make them strong enough to protect themselves. Garp has to know that one day their heritage will be revealed, and he'll be unable to protect them from the marines. Everything's on the table now. Their grandpa can't just ask them to forget Haki. If he really wants them to be able to protect themselves, it makes _sense_ for him to agree, but god, it's all just so ridiculous.

"Fine," Garp utters after a long breath, and Ace is so taken aback that his mouth falls open.

"Thanks, Ji-chan!" Luffy pipes.

"Seriously?" Ace says, because he can't believe this is actually happening.

"Yeah. But I tell you I've already been training you for years now."

Ace scoffs. "Yeah, yeah." Dodging perhaps, but all of them knew it wasn't really training, even Garp, who looks weary. Despite the exhaustion, he turns towards them and scans them speculatively. Ace barely resists the urge to block Luffy from view as their grandfather's hard black eyes study their appearance.

"To get this strong in a year . . . you must have trained nonstop daily," Garp comments.

Ace and Luffy nod.

"Well stop it!" Garp exclaims, knocking both of them on the head faster than they can dodge.

"What the hell, Jiji!" Ace snaps, standing in front of his brother in case their grandfather decides to do it again.

"You two idiots!" Garp shouts. "If I wanted you to work yourselves to the bone I would have brought you along on the ship with me!"

"Are you complaining because we train too much?!" Ace can't believe it.

"Damn straight, I am."

"Why?!" Luffy demands.

"You need social skills, you morons! Why else do you think I left you with Dadan?"

"Dadan and the bandits?" Luffy asks, completely disbelieving.

"Y-you wanted us to learn social skills from the _bandits?!_ " Ace's utter incredulity either goes over their grandfather's head or he just deftly ignores it.

"Yeah, exactly." The marine nods. "Not to mention the fact that both of you look like _shit._ When was the last time either of you actually slept?"

Luffy and Ace both cringe a little at that. It isn't that they don't try, the dreams just shake them up too badly. If they can't fall back asleep it just makes more sense to start training at two or three in the morning.

"And Ace, I thought I told you to watch out for Luffy," Garp says, picking his nose.

Ace feels horror sink into his being. His eyes immediately seek his brother and he's disturbed by what he sees. He had taken the bags under his brother's eyes as token, given their bad sleep schedule; his own eyes are exhausted, too. The reason for them is so obvious that Ace hadn't considered them before. But it strikes him now that it shouldn't even be that way in the first place.

Even if they can't sleep, training through the nights hasn't been a good idea, Ace sees in now, because his brother looks so worn _down_ , and he doesn't know how to handle it. The various cuts and bruises are always treated with care by Ace, but as he looks at all of them together he sees what a mess his brother's body is becoming. No arm or leg is undamaged and most of his fingers are bandaged up. The worst part is _why_ he didn't notice; because he's _used_ to it— used to the way Luffy looks. He knows he himself probably looks no better, but as the older of the two he should have made them stop, he should be better—

Luffy catches his hand and pulls it gently, forcing Ace to look at his brother's eyes. "Ace, I'm okay." Ace shakes his head as the familiar level of self-loathing sets it. How could he be missing all the signs of abuse on his brother's body?!

Garp clears his throat, looking vaguely apologetic. "That isn't what I meant Ace. I know this thing with Sabo—" Garp exhales wearily. "Look, the point is that you need to take some time for yourselves. You can grow up and train to become strong marines at the same time."

Luffy coughs suddenly in a strange way that almost sounds like 'never,' from where Ace is standing and the older of the two can't help but crack a smile.

"I'll train you two," Garp announces. "But only if you both promise to stop training so hard. The Marines can't use dead men!" He lets out a loud barking laugh. Neither Ace nor Luffy smile.

"Anyways, I'll be back in three months to check on your progress. That'll be when we start training. Check in with Dadan until then, ya hear?!" Garp says already walking away, probably back to the bandits' hideout to drink the day away with Dadan, despite how much the two supposedly don't get along.

"Shut up, you shitty geezer!" Ace replies irritably.

"Don't disappoint me, boys. The Fist of Love can drive home the message if words won't."

"Go away already!"

Ace is still panting when Garp's visage finally disappears over the hill. After their grandfather is well and truly gone, Ace turns his eyes back to his little brother. He stares dejectedly at all the scratches and scars. He knows Luffy isn't seven, not in his mind, and that probably has something to do with the way he was okay pushing his brother so hard. His body is still young though, and neither of them are treating it properly for that age. Both of them have always been unusually tough and incredibly resilient to both diseases and weariness (which Ace blames Garp for, and his stupid idea of 'training' which always becomes a matter of life or death). Despite that, their bodies aren't on par with their older constitutions.

Thinking it over, he realizes that the struggle he's had matching his body with his mind and willpower makes a startling amount of sense. He's not old enough yet to have all of it. If he's still struggling with it, he can't imagine what his little seven-year-old brother must be feeling.

"Ace." Luffy pulls gently on his shirt, trying to get his attention. "Everything's alright, Ace."

"I know, Luffy." It isn't, though, and Ace has a sinking feeling that things haven't been alright for a while, but if they can't continue on this way, then where do they go from here?

There's a long pause before Ace exhales.

"Luffy, let's go get some ramen."

There's another pause and Ace sees the slight conflict in his brother's face. To get to Edge City, they'll have to cross Grey Terminal. The expression doesn't last long though.

"Ramen! Ramen!" Luffy begins sing-songing, and they walk towards Grey-Terminal.

Luffy needs a moment to relax and Ace needs to sit and think.

* * *

Ace doesn't expect to get into the restaurant because of their reputation for dining and dashing— a fact he only belatedly remembers after they reach the front of the ramen shop. When the waiter ushers them in with only a mildly disapproving look and leads them to a table, Ace is significantly disturbed. It's as he's finishing his first ramen bowl that he remembers that they don't have that reputation yet. He and Luffy beat up thugs for the most part when they were this age. They didn't dine and dash until they both got a little older— except for that time with Sabo . . .

"Luffy," Ace says as he sets down an empty ramen bowl. He rests it on his left, where twenty or so empty ramen bowls have been precariously perched one on top of the other in three neat stacks.

"Hmm?" Luffy asks, mouth full to unnatural proportions with noodles and broth. His brother is surrounded on both sides with ramen bowls, stacked unsteadily, making nearby diners stare at them with blatant concern and disgust.

"I don't think we should reveal Conqueror's Haki to the old man."

Luffy nods in response, understanding.

"I was also thinking we shouldn't tell anyone we can do Haki at all when we set sail," Ace announces decisively. After the encounter with their grandfather, Ace knows that they need to figure out exactly how much of their power they're going to display. Two rookies coming out of the East Blue with fully formed Haki will cause quite a fuss. Luffy will get enough attention and infamy just from being him, as he had in their past lives. The Haki will bring more trouble than it's worth. The last thing they need is extra attention, especially considering their famous heritage, which will surely come out at some point. They don't need any extra attention if they can help it.

"Why?" the rubber boy speaks as he swallows the pouch of food in his mouth.

"We'll get too much attention. Your crew in particular won't be up to your level, so attracting the big fish would be a bad idea when you're just starting out. You have to start out slow until they can keep up with you."

Luffy sets the ramen bowl to the side and nods solemnly in agreement. "Everyone is gonna find out eventually," he points out.

"Well, until then it can be our ace in the hole. Besides, they don't have to know exactly how strong it is even then," Ace rebuts.

"That's true!" Luffy says, getting excited again. "We could keep our strength super-secret and no one would know how strong we are except us."

"Exactly!" Ace says grinning. "You and me Luffy, versus the world."

"Yeah!" Luffy's smile is bright, and Ace soaks it up. He hadn't realized how solemn the air around them was until his brother smiled. Ace has to admit that Garp may have a point as all at once he understands what his grandfather was getting at. When he and Luffy push themselves to the limit, they miss out on all the important things. They were so focused on the future that the present had been unknowingly slipping right through their fingers.

No longer. Ace wants to take each and every moment with his brother and make it into something precious, something he will always remember. The first few months they were here were laced with wonderful moments. It's all a bit tainted by the knowledge of Ace's lack of awareness, but he still keeps a few of those memories close to his chest. But the past three months . . . all Ace wants to do is forget them. He can't though, because while he wishes that he and Luffy could continue jumping through the forest, visiting Makino, and bothering the bandits, he knows that they can't. The future _is_ coming for them— eventually. They need to get strong before that happens. They've almost lost a year already, and they can't afford to dawdle. But seeing Luffy this way— so serious, so intense . . . it hurts. He needs to find a balance.

"Ahem." Both brother's turn and look at the waiter of the restaurant, bending and shifting to see him through the towering stacks of ramen bowls. They stare at him blankly, and he fidgets uncomfortably under the force of their combined gaze before he continues. "How will you two be paying for this? Should I split the check?"

Ace and Luffy make eye contact for a brief moment before leaping over the table and dashing out the door.

Shouts and cries of outrage follow them as they run through the streets of Edge Town. He and Luffy exchange looks before smiling.

"I am grateful for the food, thank you very much!" they call back politely in unison, inciting more angry screams.

Luffy begins laughing, happy and free— almost like when they first got back. Ace joins in, feeling the pressure leave his body. _This_ is what he was missing. _This_ is what's important. There's no point in growing strong if it comes at the cost of his and (more importantly) Luffy's happiness. The world will come for them soon, but until then Ace's one and only job is to make sure his brother is safe and happy. Ace grins widely. He'll try his best, and enjoy every day of it.

* * *

 **So, next chapter is both long and fun! I'm excited for what is happening next, and I hope you all like it too.**

 **Review if you want.**

 **K good talk**


	4. Baby, You're a Rich Man

**Hey. I'm early this time, I guess I'm just excited to get into more story stuff. Also, this _is_ a lighter chapter in mood for the most part (sorta?)- especially the end! I'm excited.**

 **But first a few thanks. To the best betas ever, breather and HadenXCharm, I offer eternal gratitude.**

 **And a ton of thanks to you awesome reviewers: funmom, Mirthil Lace, guest (07/24/15), Spellcaster Hikaru, skywright, kushina namikaze 14, bibliophile030, TerraFria, lany-chan, Dr. Blueneck, Kiddiluna [2], and WaMiLo. Each review means a lot to me.**

 **I especially appreciate you repeat offenders!**

* * *

 _Chapter 4: Baby, You're a Rich Man_

* * *

"Is that everything?" Ace calls up to his twelve year old brother, shielding the sun with his hand. The small boat he and Luffy built is already going to be a tight fit between the two of them, let alone with all the supplies the two are taking. They (Ace) tried to pack wisely, choosing money over extra food to fill the gaps in the ship. Despite that, Ace knows that the modest amount of money they pilfered from the aristocrats in Goa won't be enough to carry them all the way to the West Blue. Ace will focus on that later. There are more pressing concerns.

"I think that's everything!" Luffy calls, snapping Ace from his thoughts. "That is, unless you think we can add some more meat."

"Not without sinking the ship," Ace teases. "Come on now, little brother, we have a lot to do before Jiji gets back."

Luffy cringes at the mere mention of their grandfather before jumping down onto their ship. Ace smiles lightly before he kicks them off of the shore and onto the clear waters of the East Blue.

If Garp finds out that they left the island, they'll both be suffering concussions from the Fist of Love, and maybe even a trip to a nearby Marine base so Garp can monitor them.

Ace shudders. His fear of his grandfather has only increased since they began training with him. Every few months since that agreement four years ago, Garp would stay for two-week long visits that were nothing but complete and utter hell. Ace remembers thinking when he was younger that his Grandfather's idea of toughening them up (beatings) was harsh, but now that he's actually receiving legitimate training from the old man he realizes exactly how wrong he really had been. Garp's lessons did not run Ace and Luffy into the ground; no, the old man's lessons ran them into the Earth's core.

After determining the extent of both Luffy's and Ace's strength, Garp immediately began training them as though they were Marines of that caliber. Marines, who were most decidedly not two prepubescent boys. Now, Ace is almost sixteen and Luffy is on the cusp of teenagedom and their grandfather's lessons have scaled in difficulty to match their ageing. The brothers are barely able to survive the two weeks of constant mock fights, (both with each other and Garp,) surprise sleep-attacks, rigorous sets of physical conditioning, and crash courses on Haki that never stop being crash courses even five years later. Not to mention the constant abuse from the misleadingly named "Fist of Love." Halfway through every second week both Ace and Luffy begin questioning their actual chance of surviving. Every time though, they pull through— sometimes by the skin of their teeth.

With the increased understanding of Garp's monstrous capabilities that the training has granted them, Ace and Luffy know that attracting their grandfather's attention on their errand excursion might actually mean the end of the world as they know it. Low-key and Luffy aren't usually used in the same sentence without a negative in place, but Ace hopes that they can coast below the radar for the two and a half months it will take them to finish their errands. If all goes according to plan, they will be back on the island before Garp ever notices they were gone. The duo left a vaguely threatening note at the bandits' hideout that Dadan will likely lose hours of sleep and some of her hair over— if Garp ever learns that she had let the two of them escape to the sea, there will be no mercy. Ace knows she's counting on their promised return. Ace certainly hopes to keep their word.

After their island shrinks in the distance, becoming no more than a small dot on the horizon, Ace turns to his brother.

"So where are we headed first, Luffy?" Ace asks.

"I want to save some of my crew members," Luffy says decisively. "So we'll have to go to Cocoyashi and Syrup Village first. Uhhm, I don't know what's the closest."

"Cocoyashi is the closest to our current location," Ace informs him, smiling at his brother's absentmindedness. He unrolls the map before he gets the compass and lies it on the ship to check the heading. "Who are we saving?"

"Nami," Luffy says. "There's this super evil fish-guy that's taken over her village!"

"A fishman?" Ace replies. "I think I remember you telling me about this. Arlong, right? And Hachi was on his crew?"

"Yeah, we'll probably run into him." Luffy grins excitedly before the expression halts. "Although I guess we'll probably have to beat him up. I almost forgot that he wasn't a cool guy yet."

"Don't worry about him, Luffy. I'll take care of the crew. Why don't you just focus on Arlong?" Ace suggests as he adjusts the sails a little to catch the breeze. "After that we'll head to Syrup village before catching Reverse Mountain."

"Okay," Luffy agrees, mind already on the battle. He shakes himself a little.

"Ace, are you certain that you don't want to make any stops to find anyone?" Luffy asks, leaning his head back to stare Ace in the eyes.

Ace shakes his head and sits across his brother before replying, "I'm sure. Most of them are either on Oyaji's crew, or they will soon be. I can't do anything to help them that's better than that." He glances at his brother. "But just finding their way onto your crew isn't good enough for you though, is it?"

"No." Luffy's lips thin.

"Messing around with their lives like this . . . you know that there's a big chance that they probably won't join your crew, right?"

Luffy nods solemnly. "I know, but some of them don't deserve to be in those situations."

"Nami?" Ace raises an eyebrow.

Luffy exhales. "Yeah. It's already too late to save her mom. At the very least we can get Arlong away from her and her sister and the town before he does any more damage."

"What are you gonna do about a navigator, little brother?" Ace asks lightly.

Luffy smiles, effectively smothering the worry that hovers in the back of his eyes. "I know it'll work out. This is what I want to do." His resolve hardens and Ace knows there's nothing for it.

Ace shakes his head and smiles. "Okay." He has a feeling that his little brother will be alright in the end. He often is.

* * *

Nami's legs itch furiously from the leaves of the bushes where she's currently hiding. She resists the urge to scratch them, refusing to be distracted as she continues surveying the set-up before her. Released from Arlong for the day, Nami had been slinking around and pilfering the pockets of those she knew could handle the money loss, when she spies a small boat tied to the docks.

Visitors are rare, more often than not dissuaded from venturing in by the sight of Arlong's flag blowing proudly in the wind, so Nami is more than a little surprised to find the small sloop. It's possible that whoever they are missed seeing Arlong's flag. If that's the case, then they need to get out of town immediately before the fishman catch them—

Nami shakes her head violently. She can't afford to be concerned about some unfortunate strangers. She has much bigger things to worry about— like whether or not the visitors have any money she can steal. Nami has been scouting the area for about half an hour now, partially because she's waiting to see if anyone will come back, and partially from her own hesitance. Pickpocketing is one thing, but robbing a ship is on a whole new level. This will be her first time attempting something like this. It's natural she's a little anxious, she tells herself over and over again as she tries to build up her courage.

Summoning the face of her sister, Nami pushes through the bushes before she can second-guess herself any more. She has already prepared a strategy in case they return— she's just a curious little girl, who only wants to see their ship up and treasure up close, assuming that they have any. Adults tend to eat that sort of stuff up . . . at least human adults do anyways. She brushes off the distracting thoughts as she stealthily approaches the vessel. Glancing around the empty pier for any witnesses, she finally steps carefully up to the boat.

Nami expects to see some kind of protection over their stuff —locked cupboards, padlocked chests, secret compartments— instead, she's treated to an incredible sight. Not only did the strangers have treasure, but it's on full display! The floor of their sloop is covered in apple cores, bones, and most importantly, Berri! Sure the trash is gross, and the bills are crumpled up, but Nami is delighted, though wary.

The set-up seems too good to be true and Nami carefully nudges some of the money, expecting _something_ to happen, but nothing does. She then wastes no time in gathering as many bills as she can. She tosses the gross trash out of the way without even blinking an eye as she carefully scavenges each and every bill. She quickly tucks them into her pockets, into each shoe and sock, and in the band of her small training bra. Making sure that everything is reasonably secure, Nami flees the scene and darts back to the bushes where she had first hidden. She takes a break to catch her breath and still her heart that was pounding the entire time. She did it. She really did it! Relief and a small bit of pride sweeps through her system. She's another couple thousand Berri closer to saving her town.

Eager to deposit the money, she makes a beeline towards her and Nojiko's home. She doesn't get very far through the town when she notices how _empty_ it is. She frowns. It's odd for the streets to be so empty during late afternoon when most people are finally getting off of work. She's suddenly distracted by the sheets of paper that are blowing in the street. Four or five tumble towards her, coasting on the wind. She bends over and picks up one near her feet curiously, then freezes. In her hand she holds a map— but it isn't any map. It's a map that she herself drew.

Before she can try and make sense of anything, Nojiko comes running down the street.

"Nami! There you are!" her sister exclaims as she closes the gap between them.

"Nojiko. What's going on?"

"It's Arlong," Nojiko pants, red in the face and out of breath.

Nami will remember her sister's next words with perfect clarity for the rest of her life.

"Someone beat him. Arlong's dead."

Nami thought her breathing was hard before this, but it's nothing compared to the rapid beating now and the blood that rushes to her ears. Her first instinct is denial.

"No. No way." She shakes her head.

" _Nami._ I'm serious! These two strangers appeared out of nowhere. One of them took on Arlong's entire crew _by himself!_ " Nojiko gestures frantically in the air. "The other one fought Arlong head on. They broke a lot of the buildings, including the one that used to be your map-making room. Your maps are flying all over the town!"

It's— it's all too much. Nami can't understand everything that her sister's saying, and she's expecting to wake up any second now. When she doesn't, she grabs her sister's arm.

"I want to see it," Nami demands. Nojiko looks at her sister for a moment before they run towards Arlong's park together.

The first thing that Nami notices upon arrival is the large crowd that gathered to witness the truth for themselves. The second is the unsettled dust and the rubble that covers everything. The complex is utterly destroyed. Giant jagged holes cover what's left of Arlong's park and all of the nearby buildings. Most of the structures are barely standing. She wanders towards the place where her unwilling workroom had one been. Maps pour out from every crack of the rubble, blowing in the breeze. By her foot she spots something shiny— her quill pen. As she picks it up, she realizes that it's only the nib— because it's been snapped in half. It would never, _could_ never be used again. Nojiko hovers silently at her side, but Nami can barely sense her, so wrapped up in her own thoughts.

Can it actually be real? Can she wake up tomorrow and still find this building destroyed, still find her quill pen shattered? Can she do that? Please?

Tears begin falling down Nami's face, unbidden, followed by choked sobs. "Is it really over?" she dares to ask.

Nojiko's smile is soft. "Yeah, I think it really is."

Nami collapses right in the middle of the street. The bills she hastily tucked into her pockets, shoes, and bra slip out and Nami grabs them by the handfuls and rips them up. It's over. She doesn't have to steal, she doesn't have to make charts— she's free. The feeling is so strange to her after all the years in captivity that she almost doesn't know what to do with it. Her heart hasn't been this light since before Bellemere died— it suddenly hits Nami that her adoptive mother's death has _finally_ been avenged.

"N-Nojiko," Nami blubbers. "I'm so happy. I'm so _happy."_

"Me too."Nojiko smiles gently, and extends her hands to her sister. Nami shakily pulls herself up, the quill pen still tight in her grip.

The thickest part of the crowd surrounds the hole in the ground where Arlong's motionless body rests. Nami and Nojiko carefully nudge their way through the crowd. The sight isn't a pleasant one. Arlong's blood is splattered all over the place, his signature nose has been snapped off, and his chest has been pounded open. Despite Nami's loathing for her captor, the sight of his carcass makes her queasy. She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths.

"It's incredible, isn't it?" a man nearby murmurs.

"I never thought the day would come," a woman replies.

"Where is the hero?"

Nami's eyes snap open at the question and she stares at the nearby pair unabashedly.

"Long gone, the two hightailed it out of here as quickly as they came in. The most shocking thing of all though was their age," the woman's tone turns conspiratorial.

"What do you mean?" the man asks.

"I mean that the boy that beat Arlong couldn't have been older than _thirteen_."

Nami's mouth falls open and she feels her sister startle next to her.

"Seriously?!" she blurts. That would make him almost the same age as Nami!

The two adults look mildly reproachful at the eavesdropping but upon seeing who it is their harsh expressions smooth out.

"It's true, I saw it with my own eyes," the woman answers. "He was a young thing wearing this big straw hat with a red ribbon. I could have sworn I'd seen it somewhere before . . ."

"Which way did they go?!" Nami demands frantically.

The woman goes on slowly. "Well, it looked like they were heading towards the pier but I can't say for certain, but—"

Nami dashes away from the crowd, running back from where she came. She hears Nojiko apologizing and thanking the couple behind her but it all fades out from the thundering sound of her heart beat pounding in her ears.

By the time she reaches the dock, it's too late. The ship has already begun disappearing into the horizon, much too far for her to call out to. She pants and gasps desperately as everything begins sinking in.

She is free. Her sister is free. Her town is free. Everything has happened all at once and she fears her heart will explode.

The strangers and the small boat— it's them. She stole from them. Nami almost lets out a slightly hysterical laugh. She stole from her village's saviors. These saviors who are apparently around Nami's age.

Nami knows that she should want to make amends for her theft, but all she really wants is to thank to boy with the straw hat. She wants to bow before him and tell him just how much he did for her— how he _saved_ her. She owes him more than just her life, she owes him her _freedom._

Her eyes become determined.

Nojiko finally catches up, panting and completely exhausted from running all over the town.

"Were you too late to thank them?" Nojiko asks after a few moments.

"Yes, but not really." Nami will thank him, one day. For now though, there was only one thing in the world Nami wanted to do.

Turning her eyes from the speck on the horizon, she faces her sister and smiles brightly. "Mikan. I want to eat some mikan."

Nojiko nods her head, tears finally slipping down her face.

The two siblings walk towards their house and the mikan trees hand in hand, enjoying the remaining hours of what has to be the best day of their lives since their mother died.

* * *

Out in the ocean, another pair of siblings are also together, spent, but happy.

"We did it." Luffy still hasn't stopped grinning even though Cocoyashi has long since shrunk into the distance. His light blue button up vest and gray shorts are covered with dust and small splatters of blood. His brother didn't make the fight with Arlong easy, despite that he could have ended it within fifteen minutes with his Haki and undeniable edge of surprise. He didn't though. Ace's little brother drew it out, knocking the fishman into the buildings and generally making a mess of the park. Apparently one of the buildings Luffy smashed was where his navigator, Nami, was forced to make maps. His brother had admittedly gone a little crazy. Ace couldn't claim he was much better though— he needed to learn how to control his strength a little more. It didn't help that the battle with Arlong and his crew was the first real fight either of them had been in in five years. Sparring, no matter how intense, just isn't the same. After effectively destroying the first mate, Ace let the majority of Arlong's crew (including Hachi) go with a threatening speech and a bit of Haki to ensure they never come back. Arlong though, had been beyond what Luffy was willing to forgive. Hopefully taking out one of the big powers of the East Blue won't come back to bite them later on . . .

It's hard to be worried though when he sees the satisfied look on his brother's face.

"You did it," Ace confirms ruffling Luffy's hair. He pauses before asking, "Are you sure you're okay with not seeing her?"

Luffy hums in contentment. "Yeah, I'm sure. She's probably really happy now. That's enough."

Ace isn't entirely sure he believes his brother, but there is no arguing with Luffy once he sets his mind on something. Besides, it's too late to turn back anyways. Ace sighs instead of voicing any of his concerns and changes the subject to more pressing matters. "Don't get me wrong, I am happy, but I just wish she hadn't robbed us blind."

Luffy laughs. "That's just Nami. She always does that."

"Well where are we going to get the funds for our food, huh?"

Luffy brushes his brother's concern off. "It'll work out."

The older shakes his head with a sigh. "So, where to now?"

"Syrup village!" Luffy crows. Ace pulls out their map— thankfully it was left undisturbed during the robbery— and begins examining it.

"What catastrophe are we averting there?" Ace asks offhandedly as he positions the compass.

"Well, that's where Usopp is. There's this evil butler guy who hid for years as an innocent old man, but he was actually Black Gerbil, a super bad pirate who had no respect for his nakama!" Luffy declares crossly.

"Black gerbil? Ace asks with a raised brow.

"It might've been something else." Luffy scratches his head. "Hamster? Rat? Hmmm, I don't remember."

"So what happened exactly?"

"Me, Zoro, and Nami went there and helped Usopp beat the Black Gerbil guy into the dirt. He was a lady's butler and he plotted to take over when she was really weak. Usopp totally stood his ground! It was totally awesome and—"

Ace raises a hand to cut his brother off. "Wait, wait, wait. This all happened when you went to his village, right?"

"Yep."

"But until you got there everything was fine?" Ace questions.

"Yeah," Luffy chirps.

"So why do we need to go there?"

"To get rid of him!" Luffy exclaims like it's obvious.

"Luffy, we already lost one week. If we want to get everything done, _and_ get back before Jiji finds out we're gone, we have to make sure we only do the stuff that's absolutely essential."

"Saving Usopp's village is essential!" Luffy protests.

Ace shakes his head firmly. "If nothing too bad happens before you go there then there isn't a reason for us to visit."

Luffy frowns for a few moments before saying, "Okay fine."

Ace knows he isn't happy, but Luffy understands what he's saying at least. "Is there anything else you need to do in the East Blue?"

"No," Luffy says. "I dunno where Zoro is, and Sanji's still working on this awesome floating restaurant. They're both okay for now. Besides, I don't think Sanji would listen to anything I said if I didn't have Nami with me anyways." He punctuates the statement with a broad, fond smile and Ace jut chuckles and shakes his head.

"Well, the Mera Mera fruit is in the West Blue, so let's head there next. That was supposed to be one of the last stops, but this is good actually. We can keep ahead of schedule. After that we should probably go to the Grand Line to do our shopping and . . . you know, I think that might be it." He laughs a little in surprise.

"It seemed like we had so much to do when we were plotting everything out," Luffy muses aloud.

"Well, getting to the West Blue ought to be enough of an adventure. This ship won't be able to handle the Reverse Mountain."

Ace really has no clue about how they're going to get there exactly. They have to somehow navigate through the South Blue to get there first, which meant passing the Red Line. The sloop is nowhere near sturdy enough to survive the trip up Reverse Mountain to even reach the South Blue . . . Not to mention that it certainly isn't fast enough to get them all the way there and then back before Jiji returns— ahead of schedule or not.

The wisest course of action is to attack some other pirate ships as they go. They'll need the supplies and ships if they want to sail through all the Blues, but they'll have to find a way without drawing attention to themselves. Ace shudders to think what would happen if Garp catches wind of the pair sailing around, let alone what other more powerful crews might do unless they make themselves less noticeable

"Ooh, Ace! Look, look!" Luffy snaps him out of his thoughts. His eyes widen as he takes in the visage of the large ship that was steadily sailing several dozen meters or so away. Neither had really noticed its approach, so caught up in their conversation. Ace's practiced eye scans the structure, eying the craftsmanship. It has to be a galleon, doesn't it?

"They probably have money and food, right?" Luffy asks, drooling slightly. Ace grins. His brother is certainly predictable.

"Probably. And hey, Luffy, that ship looks like it could survive Reverse Mountain."

"Oooh!" Luffy crows excitably.

Before Ace can say another word, a cannon ball clips the side of their small sloop.

"That was a warning shot. If you value your lives, you may want to gather any money you have!" a voice calls over the water.

Ace looks up, eyes shaded by his orange cowboy hat as he examines the distant figure of the man that addressed the two. He finds a pair of males standing forward on the ship. On one of the men's head there is perched a large black hat with a purple plume sticking out of it letting Ace know that he's most likely the captain. Beside him there's a man who's rather stocky, with curly orange hair. Probably the first mate then, Ace figures. Behind both men there are roughly forty-to-fifty crewmembers.

"You can surrender now," Luffy calls out in suggestion. His words are greeted by a hearty chorus of laughter.

"You must be either joking or insane!" One man calls back.

Well, the captain doesn't look _weak_ exactly, so perhaps he and Luffy won't have to completely hold back their strength. His little brother is smiling widely at the enemy ship and his excitement is contagious. Ace grins with him.

"Let's go Luffy!"

"Right!" Luffy wraps his arm around the mast of their ship and creates a crude slingshot to launch the older boy across to the ship. Cries of shock and horror greet Ace's unexpected descent into the center of their ranks.

Ace resituates his orange cowboy hat on his head before glancing around at the ship speculatively. He's satisfied to know that his initial observations are spot on. He stands in front of a little more than forty pirates in addition to the first mate and captain. All of them are torn between staring at him or his very stretchy brother.

"Ah, hello."

"What the hell?!" A few pirates panic and pull the trigger of their guns. Ace reflexively hardens his body, deflecting the bullets. Most of them embed themselves harmlessly in the wood of the ship, but a few lodge into the bodies of unfortunate bystanders.

"Sorry, I didn't really mean to do that." Ace scratches his head. It doesn't look like anyone's seriously harmed, and he's happy to see that the wounded are quickly moved away. It seems they care about each other a little bit at least.

"His arm's black!"

"Unnatural child!"

"Is it a Devil Fruit?!"

Ace scoffs inwardly. Pirates that only sail on the Blue Seas really have no clue about what's out there. He's saved from answering by the explosive arrival of his little brother who lands a little away from Ace. More shrieks of terror come from the crew when Luffy's arm rescinds. Their young age, he figures, hurts more than helps in this case. Then there's Luffy's clothes which are still a tad bloody . . .

The captain isn't going to stand by in stupor forever though.

"Don't panic men! The tricks may look fancy, but—"

Before any of the other pirates can even blink, Ace darts forward and smacks the captain over the head lightly, effectively knocking him out.

Stunned silence meets his action and all of the pirates, who are already more than a little freaked out by Luffy's bizarre elasticity and his own display of Haki, immediately backpeddle as far away as they can get from the pair. A few pirates even dive off the ship in their panic. All the while, Ace calmly ties up the captain. After he's done, he pitches the captain to the small sloop he and his brother arrived in (which is drifting about fifty meters away). Ace doesn't hear a splash, so he figures the captain is probably fine.

"W-what do you want?" The orange haired pirate from before asks, stepping forward slightly. "All of our treasure is below decks. We don't have that much, only about ten thousand Berri, but it's yours if you want it."

"Oh, no thank you. We aren't here for treasure," Ace replies.

There's a long pause.

"Then may I ask what you _are_ here for?"

"My little brother and I are on a trip of sorts," Ace informs his captive audience. "We have a few errands to run in the West Blue, and we're going to take this ship to get there."

Exclamations of disbelief sound from the other men who look incredulous and frightened at the same time.

"It takes at least forty people to sail a Galleon," the orange haired man says, and it seems he understands what's going on.

"That's why you all will be sailing with us," Ace says with a winning smile.

"You can't expect us to willingly go along with this," the other man replies, more heatedly now. "We're not going to follow orders from two little kids!"

Ace almost wants to say that they aren't kids, but he thinks they all look frightened enough already.

"I have a proposal I'd like to present," Ace begins formally before pausing. "Before that though, might I ask whom I'm addressing?"

"My name is William Johnson." The orange haired man— Johnson, then turns and gestures to the other men behind him. "We are the Purple Feather pirates."

"Ooooh, cause of the hat," Luffy remarks as he observes the hat that fell from the captain's head onto the deck before his unexpected flight. Johnson moves forward and collects it, eyeing Luffy untrustingly.

"I see. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is—" Ace pauses, considering using fake names since they're trying to avoid attention, but as he looks at his brother who has already grown bored of the discussion and is exploring the ship (much to the shock of the other pirates), he knows that there's no point. Luffy will just forget moments after Ace tells him. Even if he doesn't, Luffy will break their cover eventually just from sheer thoughtlessness. He sighs a little inwardly before finishing his sentence, "Ace. Call me Ace. That's my little brother, Luffy." He gestures to his brother who is now climbing up one of the three main masts with his bare hands.

"I see . . ." Johnson comments for lack of anything better to say.

"Now then, back to my proposal. Luffy and I are going to have to do a lot of sailing through the oceans to complete our errands. Neither one of us particularly cares about treasure. We're going to have to make stops on uninhabited islands and we'll probably get attacked by a few ships— not to mention the Marines . . ." Ace shakes his head and returns to the matter at hand. "We are willing to give you guys all the treasure we come across if you agree to sail with us. After we're done you all can keep the ship too."

"All the treasure?" Johnson echoes in disbelief. "And the ship too?!"

"You're kidding!" a Purple Feather pirate calls from the back, and many others make sounds of agreement.

"No, really," Ace assures them. "We couldn't care less."

Johnson gives Ace a shrewd look. "There has to be a catch."

The teenager pauses and thinks for a moment before replying. "Well, Luffy and I will need a portion for food of course."

The pirate crew stares at him.

"That's it? Money for food? You have got to be kidding," another pirate shouts from the side.

"No, I'm serious."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously." Ace looks at them deadpan.

"Are you—"

"Look, if you can't agree to our terms, you can join your captain on the sloop."

Every pair of eyes dart from the distant unconscious form of their captain on the small dinghy, then back to Ace's smiling face before they quickly agree to the teen's terms.

"Great!" Ace exclaims grinning even wider, before he addresses the orange haired man. "You're the first mate, right?"

Johnson starts. "Aye. That I am."

"Well then, you'll stay that way. Please take care of my brother and I," Ace says with a slight bow, and all of the pirates mutely stare at his perfect manners.

"Uhh, us as well?" Johnson replies uncertainly.

"Good. Now, which one of you is the navigator?" Ace calls, looking around at the congregation of pirates expectantly. A short wiry brunet man reluctantly steps forward.

"Can we rely on you to guide us safely, . . ." Ace trails off expectantly.

"Samson," he replies hesitantly. "And yeah, I suppose. I wouldn't lead the ship I'm on into a storm." Samson pauses a moment before eyeing Ace with apprehension. "Where exactly are we going?"

"We're heading to the West Blue. We have to get through the South Blue first so we'll head there now. After we get to the West Blue we'll have to pass through the North Blue to get back to the East Blue. Once everything's done, we'll leave you all the ship and you can do what you like, and we'll part ways as unlikely friends. The whole thing shouldn't take longer than roughly two months."

The navigator's eyes bulge. "T-two months?!"

"That's why we needed a Galleon. A sloop couldn't make it in time," Ace says as he looks speculatively at the ship. "By the way, is this ship coated with Kairoseki?"

"Why? W-we're not planning on going to the Grand Line, are we?!" the navigator stutters.

"Only the outskirts to do a little shopping. Don't worry, we're not going anywhere close to the New World. We're not ready for that."

"Shopping . . . you're going to the Grand Line to do a little shopping," Samson murmurs, dazed.

"The ship is coated with Kairoseki. It'll weather the Calm Sea," Johnson says as he steps forward to let the navigator gather his wits.

"That makes this a lot easier. We'd probably have to find another ship if that wasn't the case." The dark haired teen lets out a long laugh and the whole crew stares at him and their first mate with exaggerated grief.

"You couldn't just lie to him?!" Samson demands, shaking Johnson who looks just as despairing.

"Actually, it might be easier to do our shopping first, and then cross the Calm Belt to get to the West Blue. That would mean we wouldn't have to go through the South Blue, which will save us some time I suppose . . ." Ace ponders aloud.

"We're heading to the Grand Line?" Samson asks. "Right now?! I don't know how to navigate that!"

"I'll give you a crash course, don't worry," Ace says, and his reassuring expression does absolutely nothing to soothe the anxiety spread among the pirates. Samson's face is pale as a sheet and he staggers back to the banister.

"Oh, and by the way," Ace begins, a sharper tone sneaking into his voice, "if any of you intend to hurt my brother while we're sleeping, or are tempted to push him off the boat at one point or another, know that I will not hold back." Ace allows a thread of his Conquerer's Haki to leak from his body. The effect is instant, and the vast majority of the crew either passes out or tenses their body to the point of painfulness. He releases the tension in the air, making some of them collapse in relief.

"Am I understood?"

"Sir, yes sir!" yelps the remaining conscious crewmembers, terrified.

"Excellent! Then this'll be a fine two months."

"Accceeeeee!" Luffy descends from the crow's nest and lands on his brother's back. "They have this huge telescope up there! It's the coolest thing ever! Where's the kitchen? Are you done negotiating? I'm hungry."

"Sure thing Luffy, we'll find the kitchen." Ace looks towards Johnson. "Where's the mess hall?"

The first mate just weakly points to a door at the front of the deck. Their new (temporary) crew look on at the young boy and teen with increasing incredulity.

Ace pauses and glances towards the conscious crew members that are still just staring at him and Luffy.

"Wake the other men up and set sail for the Red Line!" Ace commands, sending them scurrying. Luffy giggles in his ear as Ace hitches his little brother up higher and carries him piggy-back to the kitchen. By the end of the day, all of the crew members are crying a little on the inside when they watch how much the two brothers eat. Their stipend of food will probably take most of the treasure budget. The Purple Feather pirates were thoroughly and utterly swindled, and they all know it too.

* * *

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **I asked myself- what would Ace and Luffy do if they did go back in time? Training and getting over angst, obviously, but it struck me that they wouldn't be the type to keep on the island the whole time (especially since Nami was in an utterly shit situation). Things sort of snowballed from there- after I realized that they'd be out in the ocean, I considered what else they would do. I decided they would need to go to the Grand Line for stuff you'll see in the next chapter. Since there's no way in hell these boys are going to get a ship strong enough to weather Reverse Mountain and the Calm Belt from Goa (it would draw waay too much attention), I knew they'd have to get a galleon some other way. So here we are with the Purple Feather pirates. I'm not a fan of OCs, but they can be done right, though. For me, an OC works when they are there to support a main character. Samson, Johnson, and the Purple Feather pirates are here to facilitate Luffy and Ace's brotherly weirdness.**

 **You'll know them in time, but Johnson is ginger and the first mate while Samson is brunet and the navigator. Yep. All you really need to know for the most part.**

 **See you all next week.**

 **Let me know what you think about my use of OCs.**


	5. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

**Happy Friday!**

 **Love to breather and the wonderful HadenXCharm for betaing this. If there are flaws, it's probably stuff I altered after they edited it.**

 **Also, large thanks to all the reviewers: guest (06/31/15), Ms . McClue, OnePieceDoesExist, Flareons, Vandenburg, N Harmonic, lany-chan, MeganeD-chan, angelrider13, and Little Chomper.**

 **And shoutout to you wonderful repeat offenders, who've been here for all or nearly all of my chapters to date! Thank you: funmom, Mythril Lace, Weird-Sunny-Chan, bibliophile030, and kiddiluna. Y'all are great~**

* * *

 _Chapter 5: Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da_

* * *

Johnson wipes the sweat off his brow and squints his eyes against the bright mid-morning sun. The heat is nothing new to the first mate, but the past few days have been especially blistering. He glances over at his crew. Most of them are on deck because of a mercifully refreshing sudden gust of wind, but the breeze is dying down and everyone begins dispersing into little groups and pairs to pass the time. Johnson looks towards the crow's nest, where, predictably, he finds the two brothers that are responsible for shanghaiing their entire ship and crew. He didn't anticipate facing a challenge like this when he set out to become a pirate, even though he knew to expect the unexpected on the sea. Capsizing storms and dangerous sea monsters he expected and could have dealt with, but Ace and Luffy? Both brothers are unlike anyone that Johnson has ever met before.

Johnson has learned in passing that Ace is fifteen, and Luffy exclaimed once that there was only three years between them and that he would be even stronger than Ace when he was fifteen (which Ace quickly countered with the fact that Ace would then be eighteen, and much stronger as well) so by simple math, that makes Luffy _twelve_ of all things.

After their first meeting it's clear to the first mate that Ace and Luffy are more powerful than anyone else on the crew, but he thinks they're likely stronger than he knows. It's the little feats of strength, like ripping doors off their hinges and the ease with which they rig the sails, not to mention that strange power Ace used on their first meeting, all of which lets Johnson know they're all outclassed beyond his imagination. Johnson has a disquieting feeling that by the end of the trip he will be uncomfortably familiar with their strength. . . unless he can figure out a way to get the brothers off the ship.

The first few days, everyone was so stunned by the sudden take-over and then by the continual surprises from the brothers, that no one could concentrate too heavily on it. Two weeks in, Johnson finds he's a little more used to things. He spends his free time plotting a way to mutiny, but it isn't easy. The only time he would feel comfortable attacking is when they were asleep . . . But Ace's warning is still clear in his mind. Despite the threat hanging over their heads, it's still incredibly tempting because both boys nap in the lazy moments, and Ace in particular has a habit of falling asleep in his food, much to Luffy's immense amusement. Maybe the younger brother was able to sense what Johnson was thinking at the time, because he met the first mate's gaze, and Johnson swore that he almost felt a small hint of that same overwhelming power he felt from Ace in the younger boy. Then Ace woke up and Luffy was all smiles once more.

Their captains are _children._ Scary, powerful children. Johnson still has no idea what to think about that.

He hadn't been expecting much from either of them as useful crewmembers, and in fact had expected nothing at all from them. He had thought they would just watch all the general sailing and rope pulling, but they surprised him. (Not for the first time, and he had a feeling, not the last time either.) Not only are the two surprisingly well-versed in the technicalities of sailing, but Ace can also direct an entire crew. The first time a sudden storm threatens to knock them off course, the two brothers are the first to react, grabbing the lines to furl the sails. The men are so stunned that it takes Ace three times to get their attention. Once he had it, he _had_ it. They follow his directions to the letter, and manage to retract the sails and weather the storm with startling efficiency. Somehow, the two brothers are experienced sailors on par with all of the men on the crew. For being so young, it surprised Johnson considerably. He wonders if perhaps they were raised on a ship.

He was surprised again – rather pleasantly, this time – to find that neither boy shirks doing the menial work of cleaning the decks and the daily chores of rigging the sails. The latter is actually a great relief to all of them as the precarious height of the topper most sails often make the task of rigging more than a little dangerous. In Johnson's decade as a pirate he has seen more than one man go overboard in a storm. Luffy's stretching abilities (unnatural and frightening as they still are) allow for a much safer voyage for all of them.

As he glances up at the crow's nest, he's reminded of something he needs to take care of.

"Uh, Ace?" he calls up. Addressing a fifteen-year-old by captain is something Johnson still hasn't reconciled. Thankfully, neither Ace nor Luffy are strict (about anything, really), for which Johnson is mildly grateful. They tend to let him manage the crew as he likes, using his own methods to keep the ship running. He knows now that it isn't because they can't do it on their own. Ace especially is adept at managing a crew and every now and then Luffy shows a few signs of being able to manage things himself, but they trust Johnson to take care of it. The responsibility is nice . . . as well as being a good distraction from his newest situation.

The teenager jumps from the top of the crow's nest and lands neatly on his feet as though he hasn't just dropped thirty-five meters from the air.

"Yes, Johnson?" the captain asks.

The orange-haired pirate takes a moment to gather his breath before he answers.

"Do you have a flag to wave?" Johnson asks.

Ace blinks. "Ahh, no. We didn't really set out to be pirates— we just want to run some errands."

Johnson chokes. He still can't get over that. No one just 'runs errands' through the four Blue Seas. He regains himself quickly though and carries on.

"This is a pirate ship, and we are pirates. Most of the men and I agree that we need a new flag." If they want to consider themselves a legitimate pirate on the sea they need a Jolly Roger, and seeing as Luffy tore the other one down and wore it as a toga one lazy day . . .

"Oi, Luf," Ace calls towards the crow nest. His little brother quickly extends down to the floor (Johnson doesn't think he'll _ever_ stop staring with morbid fascination at the strange ability).

"What?" Luffy asks.

"We need a pirate flag, do you have any ideas?"

Luffy pauses before smiling. "ASL pirates, duh!"

Ace grins back. "Of course. Excellent idea."

"The . . . ASL pirates?" Johnson hesitantly asks.

"The ASL pirates." Luffy confirms with a nod of his head. "We have to get some paint too when we go to the Grand Line so I can draw the flag!"

"What, you?" Ace scoffs. "You suck at drawing," he teases.

"Do not!" Luffy shouts before throwing a playful punch. Ace laughs and ducks out of the way making his brother hit the wall. Ace makes a face at Luffy, seeming utterly undisturbed to see that his little brother just broke part of the wood that led to the galley, and that the crewmembers that were eating are now staring through the open hole with horror.

"They're both monsters," Johnson mutters to himself, feeling a headache coming on. Trying to arrange a mutiny doesn't seem feasible. They're just too strong. He'll have to think of something else. Johnson shakes himself and moves below deck to find the carpenter. He has a feeling this won't be the last time he'll be doing this.

* * *

They reach the Red Line faster than Samson wants to. He is _not_ ready to navigate the Grand Line. Although Ace has made good on his promise and taught Samson the basics of navigating those dreaded waters, he knows there is not true preparation. He's heard enough stories to know that he's not going to have an easy time. When the crew had initially set off from their starting island as the Purple Feather pirates, the last thing they had been intending was to embrace the life-threatening pursuit that was the Grand Line; they had only wanted to sail around the East Blue, enjoying the sea life and finding treasure.

Now, as the ASL pirates (and no one understands the name at all), they're daring to do what most men never will: take on the most dangerous sea in the world. So that their new captains can go _shopping_. Everyone on the ship is tense to say the least. Of course, that is excluding the two captains, who are excited every day about something or other. (Granted, Luffy does seem to be the one who gets overly enthusiastic, whereas Ace generally appears happy to see Luffy happy.)

Samson has tried to convince Ace several times to turn back, to change course. He rattles off the dozens of horror stories he's heard, in the most frightening way he can manage. Ace laughs every time, as though Samson was telling jokes instead of nightmares. Nothing he says seems to get through to the teenager, and he has a sinking feeling that it will be their undoing.

"I see it!"

Samson is pulled from his thoughts by Luffy's excitable shout from the front of the ship. Aside from the crow's nest, both boys (Luffy in particular), enjoy sitting on the figurehead of a large bird that marked their ship, _The North Eagle._

Squinting, Johnson could just make out the outline of the rippling waters surrounded by red ridges that marked the reverse mountain. God, there's no turning back, is there?

"Alright everyone," Ace starts, gathering their attention. "We need to batten down the hatches. Those cannons need to be secured firmly, so two or three men should work on those. Use as much rope as you all need. We'll restock when we land in the Grand Line. I'll double check everything when it's done. Understood?"

Samson has a feeling that everyone has just realized like he has that there is no escaping it at this point. The best they can do is try and survive. Which is why he isn't surprised by the loud—

"Aye!"

—that permeates the air and the resulting frantic activity. Ace looks satisfied. Before Samson can move to help tie everything down, the oldest captain calls to him.

"Samson, you're with me. There are a few last things you need to know before we land in the Grand Line."

The brunet navigator reluctantly approaches his young captain who's looking around, distracted. His eyes stop on the figure of his little brother who is leaning off the side, looking deep in the water, completely still. Samson finds it strange how still the generally hyperactive boy is, but with things so tense, it's a nice change.

"Luf, we need to get a move on," Ace says as he approaches his brother.

"I know." Luffy doesn't turn around.

"I told you, Luffy, I never ran into Laboon. I don't know where he is now, but he wasn't blocking it before. He'll be here when you get back. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, I guess," Luffy sighs before shaking himself a little. The next second he extends his arm and rockets towards the mizzen and starts pulling the sails in.

Samson sort of wonders what they're talking about, but he has a feeling that even if they explained it he would still be confused.

* * *

"We are _never_ going back there again," Samson says. His heart is still pounding from their descent from the reverse mountain. Everyone is picking themselves off the floor and trying to shake the daze from their minds. Predictably, Luffy and Ace are the only ones unruffled. The oldest of the pair is moving around the deck in a focused and efficient way, checking to see if there was any damage, and Luffy's grinning ecstatically by his side, almost vibrating with energy.

"Things look alright," Ace says before nodding to himself, pleased. "Is everyone okay?"

"Aside from the mental scarring, I think we're all fine," Johnson reports, looking entirely unhappy.

"Welcome to the Grand Line." Ace smiles, reflecting his brother's excitement.

"It's good to be back!" Luffy exclaims.

Samson sees Johnson's head turn towards them curiously. "You've been here before."

"In another lifetime," the older says cryptically as he and Luffy exchange overly wide smiles.

No one bothers asking.

Johnson begins, "I assume you know where you're going to do your shopping?"

"Any island should do," Ace says with a shrug. He stops his action halfway and looks upwards. "I think it's going to rain."

Normally Samson would be staring at him incredulously like most of the crew is because there isn't a cloud in the sky. However, Samson remembers the terrible tales Ace has told him about weather on the Grand Line and so he pulls out his worn barometer from a pouch on his belt and then proceeds to blanch.

The air pressure is dropping, and fast too. It's not just going to rain, there's a true storm brewing.

"Furl the sails!" he shouts. Normally he wouldn't give orders (even if his captains are two brats who have no right to be in charge of a ship), but he feels the humidity gathering around him now and he knows there isn't a second to spare.

Thankfully, Luffy is already on it, having started moving the moment his brother commented about the rain. Ace must have started moments after because when a sudden gust appears and threatens to pull them backwards, into the jagged cliffs of the Red Line, one of their masts' sails have already been furled, and the other two are being pulled up as they speak. The other men are quick to join in as clouds quickly gather above their heads out of nowhere. They turn grey without even a hint of warning and suddenly the air is charged with static. Moments after, it starts pouring ice.

In the middle of the bright, tropic sea, Samson and his crew are facing down a freak ice storm.

"Get the wheel!" It's Luffy shouting at Samson this time, and the navigator realizes that the helm is spinning around uselessly. Samson shoots forward towards the upper part of the ship. He grips the helm tightly and tries to keep the ship from getting capsized, suddenly remembering that their captain, whom they left behind in the East Blue, was always the one at the helm during the storm.

As he hears the startled shouts from below him, he thinks that perhaps his captain is better for it.

The storm, thankfully, vanishes with the same suddenness with which it started. _Minutes_ after the storm is gone, the ice starts melting in the hot sun. Samson loosens his tight grip on the wheel. His heartbeat is still rapid as he reflexively checks his compass in a cathartic motion. A loud groan builds as the needle circles uselessly. He looks up to see the rest of his crew on the lower deck who are still breathing heavily from the sudden exertion and adrenaline. Except for the two brothers, of course. Luffy is jumping from the top-most sails to the front of the ship.

Ace is walking around, taking inventory. After a few minutes of this, he nods.

"It's a good thing everything was still tied down or we might've lost a cannon or two," Ace says.

His mild statement earns him plenty of glares.

"Aaaace!" Luffy calls from the bow of the ship. "Look at it!"

The teenager swiftly moves towards Luffy. Samson and a few other pirates pick themselves off the ground to investigate what their littlest captain is talking about, but not without a little apprehension for what the Grand Line holds for them yet. The navigator reaches the railing and squints but doesn't see anything other than a seemingly endless expanse of blue.

"I don't see anything," Johnson murmurs from behind him.

"Can't you?" Luffy asks, and his tone is oddly breathless. "The water is so beautiful!"

Samson wants to scoff because water is water no matter where you go, but as his eyes drop down he sees more than just the ocean. The water is clearer than it is in the East Blue, with an oddly deeper hue, cerulean, he decides, and it's unlike anything he's ever seen before. Colorful fish and coral dot the water as they swiftly sail by, and the collage is more vibrant than he ever imagined was possible. It's aweing, and humbling at the same time to suddenly be a part of the colorful world that is the Grand Line. All at once he sees exactly what Luffy is talking about.

He obviously isn't the only one because he hears several murmurs of wonder from the other men next to and behind him.

"I didn't know the ocean could look like this," Johnson says, mostly to himself. "Especially the most dangerous ocean in the world."

Luffy hums happily. Samson tears his eyes from the water long enough to stare at the content expression on the young boy's face. It isn't unheard of to see a deeper level in Luffy's black eyes, but it certainly doesn't happen very often. Samson never tries to notice, but he can't help but see little moments of solemnity and wistfulness in Luffy's gaze, but right now all he sees is satisfaction. Ace approaches his brother and sits right beside him. An arm wraps over Luffy's shoulder, and the familial action makes the boy smile with delight. A few of the men disperse after a while, but Samson remains at the banister, still enthralled by the sight of the new sea.

"I never thought I'd be on these waters," Johnson confides, moving up towards Samson.

"Me neither."

"It's a little . . . exciting, to be honest."

Samson can't help but snort. "If we survive, I might be inclined to agree with you."

Johnson looks towards their captains before lowering his tone and saying, "I think we'll pull through. Those two seem to know a lot about this. Once we reach the West Blue though . . ."

Samson nods. They won't contemplate ditching the two brothers until they're back on more stable waters. He forces himself to banish the warm image the brothers are presenting at the moment and see them as they truly are. The boys are monsters, and he thinks that's exactly what they need if they want to pull through the treacherous sea that lies before them.

* * *

Thankfully it only takes them a week and a half to reach an inhabited island. Ace knows that his little brother is anxious to get off the boat for a little while; he understands the sentiment perfectly. Their temporary crew are decent sailors, and seemingly decent people for the most part, but their constant anxiety does wear on him a little. Their navigator, Samson, has been twitchy every second for the last two days, and yes, Ace understands that navigating blind is unsettling, but even if they had a compass that was able to point north in the Grand Line it wouldn't matter too much because they don't have a destination in mind, so floating about for a while really is the only way they can move forward. Besides, they can use the stars to ensure they aren't going in circles for the most part. If they had an eternal pose attached to some island then this would go a lot faster, but he's hoping that they won't need to get a log pose. So long as they can find what they need at this island, they can leave the Grand Line shortly and head towards the West Blue. They're doing exceptionally well on time, Ace thinks.

As soon as the anchor drops, Luffy launches off the ship and collides into the dock. The minute his feet hit the ground he's dashing towards town.

Ace smiles a little and walks from the mast at a more sedate pace when he's stopped by Johnson blocking the boarding platform with a stern expression. The teenager blinks at the man's boldness, which is unexpected given how much he knows he and his brother have frightened the crew at this point. That fear isn't ideal, but at least it helps to ensure the brothers' safety aboard the vessel, and so Ace is faintly startled by Johnson's daring.

"Ace, I have to ask," the orange haired man begins. "How exactly do you intend to buy . . . whatever it is you're shopping for? It isn't with stuff our treasury, is it?"

"Ah." Ace lets out a little noise of understanding. Johnson's sudden confrontation makes sense now. Ace actually admires the first mate for sticking up to Ace and Luffy to ensure his crew is taken care of.

Ace shakes his head to respond to Johnson's question. "I'm not going back on our deal." As promised, with the exception of his and Luffy's food expenses, all of the treasure they've accumulated from the few Navy ships that have attacked them has gone directly into the crew's coffers. Ace holds up a finger before rummaging around in his pockets. Once he feels the hard edges of his quarry, he presents it to Johnson.

The first mate visibly blanches at the large diamond that takes up more than half of his hand. He tentatively takes it from Ace to examine it more closely, and Ace sees the man pale even further as he realizes that yes, this is a true diamond and yes, it is flawless and indescribably brilliant, and half the size of Ace's hand.

"Where on earth did you get this?" Johnson wonders aloud dazedly. "You can't have found this on a Navy ship."

"I've had this for a couple years now. That jewel in your hand was once on top of the crown of our city's ruler."

The first mate almost drops it in surprise. "You stole it from royalty?!"

Ace shrugs. "It's not like they were using it for anything important." And yes, perhaps it's a little childish and pointless because Ace could probably have taken enough precious gems from some of the aristocrats in Goa to match the value without raising that much of a ruckus, but the temptation of getting back at the kingdom that made Sabo's life miserable was just too tempting. So he stole their crown jewel in one of the most complex escapades of his entire life. The resulting panic and horror shine as brightly in his memory as the diamond that sits satisfyingly in his hand. Ace accepts it back when Johnson is done examining it and carefully tucks in back in his pocket. The first mate looks wearier than usual.

"I have a feeling this is going to catch up with us some day now that our names are tied with yours now."

Ace can't help but chuckle a little. "No one found out it was us. Luffy and I are barely a blip in the radar at home."

Johnson is visibly surprised, and it isn't entirely accurate so Ace amends his statement.

"We're a little infamous but that's for eating and running away without paying." He can't help but punctuate the sentence with a smile as he remembers. Ace is pleased to see a slight grin on Johnson's face at the story, and he feels a little hopeful that he and Luffy will eventually get the crew to come around to them.

"It must be worth a fortune . . ."

"100,000,000 Beri is what I estimate."

The first mate just shakes his head, not knowing what to do with him.

"Ace! Hurry up!"

The teenager looks over Johnson's shoulder to see his little brother frowning at him impatiently. Even from his distance, Ace can see the shiny smear of food on his little brother's face.

"You didn't," Ace says, dangerously. He's satisfied to see that his little brother gulp nervously.

"I dunno what you're talking about," Luffy says unconvincingly.

"Did you or did you not just spend all of our food money on meat and then _eat_ it while I was on the ship?"

Luffy looks off to the side and whistles poorly. "N-no. 'Course not."

"Such a bad liar," Johnson mutters under his breath.

Ace grins amusedly at the first mate before turning his attention back to his brother and drawing up one of his more intimidating scowls. "Luffy?"

"W-what?"

"You better start running!" Ace says dashing past Johnson and leaping off the ship. He lands gracefully halfway across the dock and starts pumping his arms and legs to catch up to his rebellious little brother. Luckily Luffy decides to run into the nearby jungle instead of the city, because Ace has a feeling things are going to get a little messy.

It takes him ten minutes to catch up to his brother and a small tussle which destroys a small portion of the forest to pin him. When he does, he pokes Luffy's sides until the twelve-year-old is helplessly laughing and flailing against the ground.

"S-stop, Ace," Luffy whines between giggles. Ace finally stops the tickling a few minutes later but he doesn't let his brother up yet.

"Next time, you only get three quarters of your serving."

"What! No fair!" Luffy protests, and Ace doesn't know why Luffy bothers because they both know Ace isn't going to go through with his threat. Inwardly Ace admits that Luffy's pleading, whiny little brother expression is one of his greatest weaknesses. While Luffy's down, Ace takes the opportunity to use the corner of his shirt to clean the mess off his squirming brother's face.

"We can argue later. Come on, we have to see if they have a specialty shop." Ace stands and extends a hand to his brother, whose expression has already flipped from sullen to eager.

The two walk back through the jungle until they're at the entrance of the town and then start for the gates. A few citizens are hovering near the front anxiously and a middle-aged woman calls out to them.

"Boys, you should stay away from the forest, it sounds like some animals are on a rampage in there."

Ace and Luffy blink and one of their crewmembers who is passing by on his way into town has a sudden coughing fit.

"We're heading into town now. I don't think you'll hear anything else from the jungle today," Ace says eventually. "Thank you for your concern." With a slight bow he and Luffy set off into the city, leaving a rather flattered though confused townsperson at the gate.

"So where is it?" Luffy asks.

"It isn't your normal shop, so you have to ask a barkeep." Ace glances around, and sure enough, not too far from the entrance of the town he spies a large sign that says _The Bottomless Barrel._ Nothing else that could be. He and Luffy quickly move towards the building and enter through the swinging half doors. It's midday, so only a quarter of the rickety tables are taken up, but Ace can tell that the majority of the few patrons there are pirates; he even sees a few of their own crewmembers sitting in the corner. Things get a little quieter when he and Luffy come in and he knows that they drawing attention because of their age, especially Luffy.

Ace sighs a little inwardly before approaching the bar. The bartender eyes him speculatively while wiping a glass with a grimy rag.

"My brother and I are looking to buy some paper. Do you know where we could get some?"

"Caddy's next door sells all kinds of paper, quills and ink," the man replies airily.

"I seriously doubt he sells all kinds of paper," Ace rebuts.

"Only stuff there is in town. Dunno what to tell you kid." The barman gives them a dismissive look. "Now get lost already, I'm running a business here, not a daycare."

Chuckles come from every table at the bar except for the one in the corner where the ex-purple feather pirates are sitting. All he hears from them are whispers and hisses.

Ace ruffles inwardly but doesn't let any of it show. It's still hard hearing the patronization most adults give him. Thankfully he won't be seen as a child for too much longer, but poor Luffy though still has quite a ways to go.

Before Ace can decide what to do next, Luffy moves to sit at one of the barstools, earning him an irritated look from the barman.

"Will you please tell us, guy?"

"Seriously, go away." The barman is beginning to look more than a little irked. "Don't make me throw you out." Had it been any other twelve-year-old besides Luffy the barkeeper's thick muscles would have scared them off for sure. It _is_ Luffy, though, and so the youngest boy merely blinks before adjusting his overly large hat on his head so that it shadows his eyes a little. The thinnest layer of Haki emits from his brother, sending visible shivers up the barkeep's body and small gasps from the other pirates at the bar. Ace is truly impressed by his brother's precision. With how much strength Luffy is capable of, it must be like picking up a tiny piece of sand from a whole beach.

"W-what are you?" the barkeep utters, taking a step back, and Ace really is exasperated. This is the Grand Line. Doesn't anyone know about Haki? Granted this is only one of the entrance islands, but _still._

"We just wanna buy some paper," Luffy says with a slight pout on his face.

"O-okay, alright. I'll tell you, just leave the bar afterwards."

"Promise," Luffy says with a wide smile, and Ace knows that his brother's innocent gaze only makes the barkeep even more unsettled.

"There's this place, on the edge of town, called 'The Junk Yard.' Go in through the cellar door. You'll find it there."

"Thanks!" Luffy chirps with a smile and Ace can't help but copy when he sees how utterly disturbed the barman is. He's feels a bit of nostalgia as he's reminded of scaring Dadan and the other bandits.

The duo exits the bar in high spirits before walking towards the edge of town. To pass the time, Luffy starts chattering about his first mate and the man's extreme lack of directional sense. Ace has heard this story and countless others multiple times before, but he wouldn't dream of stopping Luffy; the teenager knows he is probably the same when it comes to his own crew. Ace is reminded again that while he will see his own crew in a little more than two years, it will be five until Luffy meets his directionally challenged green haired first mate, and so Ace just smiles and laughs along indulgently, hoping that the excited expression on his brother's face never fades into a sorrowful one when he thinks of his nakama.

The town is medium sized, but it doesn't take too long to reach the outskirts. They find the sign for 'The Junk Yard' on one of the last buildings before the road hits a gated off wall into the jungle. Glancing around the side of the building into the alley Ace finds a wooden cellar door. He opens it without hesitation before descending the cement steps into the basement, Luffy right behind him.

The brothers are deposited into a small, dimly lit cement room that looks more like a study than a shop. The walls are covered in bookshelves, and the floor is littered with books and papers. Near the back of the room there is a desk, but like everything else in the room, it is covered with sheets of paper. There's a narrow corridor that leads from this room into spaces unknown.

"Hello?" Luffy calls out.

"Be right there!" a voice calls from the little hallway. A short woman with brown hair in twin braids appears at the counter. Her demeanor, initially mild, quickly turns sour as she sets eyes on them.

"What the hell are you doing here? Did you kids feel like exploring, hm? Well you can just get the hell out of here right now! I'm not above teaching other peoples' children manners."

"You won't be doing that here," Ace says, his easy smile visibly unnerving her. "Besides, we're paying customers." He then pulls the large diamond from his pocket. Her eyes follow it hungrily, but there's a layer of suspicion that Ace expects to see in anyone dealing with business in a shadier part of town.

"Let me see it," she says, holding out a hand. Ace gives it to her wordlessly. He isn't particularly worried that she'll try and steal it, or at least is not worried about recovering it should she try. Ace is prepared to handle anything she tries, but if she threatens Luffy at all . . . Well, that will be the biggest mistake of her life.

"T-this is real," she mumbles after a few minutes of scrutiny, utterly stunned.

"Absolutely. Now, what are your prices for Vivre cards?"

"90,000,000 Beri," she says eventually, and Ace can clearly see through her thin lie. It's a pity she miscalculated the worth of the gem.

"Oh really? Well then, the diamond is worth 100,000,000 Beri. I'll take 10,000,000 in change, thank you very much."

"There is no way this rock is worth more than 90,000,000 beri," she protests. "Why, I'm even giving you a deal. To be honest, I wouldn't price this jewel as more than 80,000,000 beri, and you'd still owe me 10,000,000 for the card. You're lucky I have a soft spot for kids."

Ace snorts. He doubts that. But more to the point, he's not remotely convinced. "Want me to get it appraised? Besides, I've heard of other places where the going price of a Vivre Card is 70,000,000 beri."

She winces, and he knows he has her. It had only cost 70,000,000 beri for the card he gave to Luffy in the future-past, so there was no way he was going to let her swindle him so badly. He was willing to part with more than he should because he was in a good mood, and really, they don't need that much money, but he could use the 10,000,000 to restock on rope and whatever else they need.

"Fine," she says unhappily. "I'll give you a Vivre Card and 10,000,000 in change."

Ace smiles. "Tell you what, why don't you hold onto the gem and give us the 10,000,000 now. We have some shopping to do."

"You're really gonna trust a stranger?" She's appropriately skeptical.

"I'm not that afraid," Ace says, and the confidence in his eyes unsettles the clerk so much that she takes a step back.

She growls a little at him before sniffing. "I need some of your fingernail," she says.

"You're getting one for my little brother," Ace replies, gesturing Luffy forward. His little brother is still upset at the fact that they aren't getting Ace's Vivre Card, but the older teen promised to send a Card as soon as he could when he reaches the Grand Line again. If that doesn't work out, at least he'll be able to find Luffy again when the time is right.

"Get over here, kid," she says, pulling out a pair of nail clippers. She cuts off a few sections of Luffy's nails efficiently before sweeping them up into a jar.

"This'll take me at least six hours to finish, alright."

"Okay," Ace says easily and he and Luffy go back up the stairs into the open air, leaving a disgruntled lady behind.

* * *

"Alright! Let's get out of here!" Luffy exclaims excitedly as they board the ship once more, having collected both the Vivre Card (which was carefully tucked away in Ace's hat) and armfuls of rope.

"Okay," Samson says a little tentatively. "I just have to ask how exactly you plan on getting to the West Blue from here."

Ace answers, "Well, the barkeep told me to head that way." (And the bartender had a veritable conniption when he saw them again. But, as Luffy cheerfully pointed out to the man, they only promised to leave, not that they would never come back.) Ace gestures towards the left since normal means of orientation via North, South, East, and West are obsolete. "So that's where we'll go. It shouldn't take us more than a week or two to reach the Calm Belt."

"How exactly are we going to navigate over those waters? They say there are no winds and currents to get a ship anywhere. It's hell for any sailor," Samson says, and Johnson shivers at the very thought.

"Don't worry about it, Luffy and I have it covered," Ace says with a reassuring smile. "I have to ask though, it seems like this ship was outfitted for the Grand Line but you all don't seem to be that eager to be here."

His open acknowledgement of how much they don't want to be here, and that he's making them do it anyways, is almost too much for them to take.

"The ship came this way, we didn't buy it with the coating in mind," Johnson answers eventually. "Our last captain won it in a game of poker."

"How lucky," Ace grins.

"Complete and utter misfortune," Samson moans aloud.

* * *

As Ace said, it only takes them about a week and a half to reach the Calm Belt, which Johnson has to admit is a little impressive considering the freak weather patterns and the new rash of attacks they've been receiving. The pirates on the Grand Line are a lot stronger than he initially expected, but Luffy and Ace are there and they are no pushovers. At all. Like remotely. So the fights aren't as dangerous as they could be. Ace and Luffy assure them that the pirates this close to the Red Line are still small fries, nothing to be concerned about. Considering how strong the two are, 'small fries' is entirely relative.

The crew is almost more apprehensive of their arrival at the Calm Belt than they were heading towards the Grand Line. Johnson completely understands. Like Samson said nearly two weeks ago, a place with no wind or current is every pirate's nightmare, not to mention the rumors of Sea Kings that are said to prowl these waters. Even though their boat is coated with Kairoseki, the presence of the sea monsters will make things even tenser. If they get stuck in the Calm Belt, Johnson knows there will be utter, panicked chaos.

Normally, the transition into a new sea is flawless— the passage into the Calm Belt is not. The water is much greener than it is in the Grand Line, a peculiar aqua shade, and it's almost like there's a divider between the two bodies of water. Johnson sees Samson rub his eyes repeatedly at the sight. There isn't too much time to be amazed because the moment to ship hits the turquoise water they lose momentum frighteningly fast as the winds die down and the current slows. They make it several dozen meters in when they finally come to a stop.

"Alright, you two better have a plan," Johnson says.

"Leave it up to Luffy," Ace says, and his little brother grins widely before bouncing up to the prow of the ship. Johnson is despondent and irritable at best. How the hell is a twelve-year-old supposed to fix their problem?

"Here Sea King, Sea King!" Luffy shouts over the water before making whistling noise. Johnson can almost hear the jaws of his crewmates dropping.

Johnson makes to run forward, but is stopped by a firm grasp on his arm.

"Leave him be."

"You've got to be kidding me! The reason we have a kairoseki coating is so we can avoid this!"

"No, it's so we have control of the situation," Ace corrects. "We don't want to have too many attacking us at once."

"One is already too many!" Samson calls from somewhere in the back.

"He's going to get us all killed," Johnson grits out.

"Trust me," Ace says, calm and assuring. "He's got this under control. No one is going to die."

Before Johnson can argue the fact he hears the sudden crashing of water in the otherwise silent ocean. Sure enough, he sees a crush of waves rising a few dozen meters from the ship as a massive, scaly head pokes up from the water.

Johnson blanches and he hears several of the men muttering prayers to themselves.

Ace remains calm, although his grip doesn't waver. Luffy hasn't stopped his calling the creature towards him.

Soon enough he gets his wish as a Sea King begins swimming rapidly towards them.

What happens next is something Johnson still won't understand, even years later. Luffy's head snaps up and something strange and inexplicable fills the air. The only thing Johnson knows is that somehow Luffy has the same kind of power as Ace does and it scares him even if he can only feel a bit of it, because it's _powerful_ and almost supernatural.

The Sea King seems to agree with him because its path suddenly swerves to the side before stopping. Its dark red eyes have shrunken to pinpricks and are trained on the small figure of their twelve-year-old captain, who is smiling again.

"Someone get some rope," Ace orders, jolting them from their staring. The Sea King is so still that Johnson wonders if the youngest crew member has struck it utterly dumb. Ace hands a coil of rope towards his brother and Luffy leaps off the ship and onto the Sea King's head. Johnson is too exhausted from the constant anxiety to do anything more than stare and wonder what he had done in a previous life to deserve this kind of stress.

"Johnson, hold this line," Ace orders, holding out the rope he was gripping. Johnson takes it mostly out of reflex, rather than actual cognition. He wants to ask why Ace needs him to hold the line, when he sees the older brother has jumped over to the Sea King's head as well to assist his brother in tying up what Johnson can only call a bridle around the Sea King's mouth.

"Open your mouth," Luffy says to the beast, ready to finish hitching the bridle. Johnson stares as he watches the Sea King obediently open its mouth and their young captain jump in. There's a distinct lack of biting and swallowing in the time Luffy spends traipsing through the Sea King's mouth. Then again, if Johnson had Ace standing over him he would probably keep still too. Luffy emerges from the other side of the mouth and is promptly pulled up by his brother. The two look at each other before jumping back towards _The North Eagle,_ a spool of rope coming from behind them. The pair meet back on the bow of the ship and Ace proceeds to dangle off the side of the ship to carefully wrap one of the ropes around two of the port windows. Ace grabs the rope from Johnson's loose grip and ties it to the front. Luffy does the same on the opposite side before both brothers rejoin to the bow of the ship with what remains of the rope and Ace ties an incredibly tight Sailor's hitch between the two.

"Alright, I think we're ready to go," Ace says, wiping a bit of perspiration from his head, and Johnson doesn't know if it's from the heat and lack of breeze or the physical exertion of basically trussing up a Sea King.

"No, there's something we're missing." Luffy tilts his head. "This is . . . hmmm," Luffy pauses for a few moments before snapping his fingers. "Salamander!"

"Salamander?" Ace asks.

"His new name!"

"You know this is a Sea King, right Luffy?"

"Well, he's a reptile right? So it's basically the same thing. Salamander just sounds cooler than Sea King."

Ace shakes his head without understanding and Johnson is a little relieved to find out that Ace gets that way too around his brother. It makes the teenager seem more human.

"Right then, Salamander, we're going that way!" Luffy points. "Pull us there."

And that is how Johnson acquires his grandchildren's favorite story about riding a Sea King through the Calm Belt. They think he's telling a tall tale, and he's glad that they'll likely never meet anyone like Ace and Luffy and have to learn that around some people, things just _happen._

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 **Easy chapter to prepare you all for something a bit more intense next.**

 **Also, don't worry, this little arc isn't going to be 10 chapters or something. As much as I love these adventures, I too am eager to see all the Straw Hat and Whitebeard pirates again.**

 **Some of you may have noticed my motif for the chapter names already, but if you haven't, this chapter is probably a give-away. :P**


	6. Getting Better

**Dreadfully sorry for the delay. Suffice to say I was insanely busy.**

 **Thanks go to funmom, kazers, bibliophile030, Reign of Rayne, Mithril Lace (I hope this is the correct spelling. I've fudged it up so many times already . . .), LittleChomper, lany-chan, Guest (08/08/15) angelrider13, Trich, Bluestelue, Smoochynose, AaliyaIronHeart, Catflower Queen, Guest (08/15/15), and Chaos Babe. Ya'll are great!**

 **This chapter is a bit heavy, but necessary I think.**

 **Love, Love, Love to breather and HadenXCharm, who are two brilliant betas~!**

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 _Chapter 6: Getting Better_

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Despite the veritable walking catalysts that have taken residence on the ship, Johnson is forced to admit that things are running rather smoothly. So smoothly that he finds himself struggling to occupy his time. Previously he'd only have a moment or two to himself, which the first mate filled with reading. Now he has long stretches of time, and is sorely in need of more reading material. Ace is an incredibly efficient captain, and Luffy is an excellent crew-hand.

At a loss of things to do, Johnson checks the rigging. As ever, the two brothers have managed to do a perfect job of it, despite the tumultuous circumstances under which they'd been tied. Waking up near to capsizing in the midst of a violent storm is not the most pleasant way to start his day, but they pulled through, and now they face clear skies.

Though both boys keep busy maintaining the ship, they find spare time too. Right now Johnson can hear Luffy giggling from the crow's nest above him. The boy is always laughing about something or other. To be frank, it unsettles Johnson. Why did they have to appear as kind, earnest children just trying to run errands? Why couldn't they be malevolent and rude so Johnson could more easily justify booting them from the ship? No, he gets nice, happy kids. But it's all discordant.

The pair are as cheerful as they are dangerous, and they _are_ dangerous. The first time their brotherly banter dissolved into a mock fight, they casually poked a gaping hole in the galley. Thankfully, that's the only time so far they've exchanged blows on the ship. The other times are on the uninhabited islands when they leave to collect food (and more specifically to the younger of the two, inhuman amounts of meat) and by God are they lucky that the islands are uninhabited because the brothers leave the beaches and jungles looking nothing like what it did upon their arrival. It's downright _frightening_ how strong these two boys are, although he admits that it makes the crew's lives much easier. Battles are no longer a matter of life or death when Ace and Luffy are by their sides, so technically their situation is much improved, but . . .

That still doesn't mean that everyone calmly accepts the new circumstances. Every time the two boys leave the ship with a party to explore an island, get meat, and skirmish, Johnson faces the continual struggle of trying to decide if he should leave them all behind. It wouldn't be that hard. They made it to the West Blue. They can manage these waters, and likely figure out a way back to their home sea. All he has to do is get rid of those two brothers. It might come at the sacrifice of a few men when they go along with the brothers on the islands, but he knows some crewmates who would agree for the common good. It's doable, and he just wonders _why_ he struggles so much. It seems like a simple choice, but every time they leave, Luffy departs with a wide smile and Ace gives them a cheeky salute. Don't they know that they are sailing with pirates, not honorable men? Don't they realize that if Johnson gave the order they'd be stranded on the island? Maybe it's because of the unbridled trust in Luffy's eyes that makes Johnson stay his hand every time.

The first mate sighs heavily. He really needs to get over his soft heart. The two brothers _shanghaied_ their entire operation! Now they're practically working as a courier ship for Ace and Luffy. He snorts as he's reminded of Ace's declaration at their first meeting. He said the two were going on a vacation. At the time he thought the kid was just using an analogy, but now he knows better, because really, those two are so in love with the adventure and the sea, unbothered by the dangers and concerns that all other pirates suffer under. This fifteen-year-old and his twelve-year-old little brother have completely turned Johnson's life upside-down.

Really, he has no clue what they're all still doing sailing under these children.

"Sail ho!" Luffy's high-pitched voice calls from atop the crow's nest. Everyone scrambles to the sides to look for a ship. Sure enough, as Luffy cried, there is a small speck on the horizon.

"Full speed ahead," Ace's lower tone commands. Both of them eagerly descend from the crow's nest to unfurl the sail, and the rest of the pirates on board organize and follow suit, Johnson included. This will be the sixth ship they've come across so far in their three weeks with the boys. Five they pillaged and gained a rather impressive amount of money, the other one they had to leave alone because after listening to the life story of the ship's captain, Luffy declared him to be an alright guy, and they all got back aboard their own ship without taking a single Berri and sailed away. God, it's all so ridiculous.

Still . . . they are making a lot more money than before the brothers came along. They stumbled across a merchant ship last week that carried a truly impressive amount of money: 30,000 Beri! If they could maintain their current pace, they'll hopefully be able to keep ahead of the brothers' food consumption and part with a small fortune in a month or so.

That fact may or may not be a continuing factor in his hesitation about whether to leave them behind . . .

"It's a Galleon!" one of the crewmembers shouts from the bow of the ship.

"It's a _pirate_ ship!" Luffy squeals with delight, making some of them wince at his high pitch. Sure enough, Johnson can make out a waving bit of black fabric above the other ship's mast. He doesn't recognize the green dog Jolly Roger, and figures they have a fight in store. The boys are generally okay attacking merchant ships as well as pirate ships, but both boys like pirate ships much more. Despite that, they told Johnson and Samson that if they ever ran into the big players by some unfortunate stroke of luck, then they would hightail it out of there. Johnson's afraid to come across any players bigger than Ace and Luffy.

"Get ready to board!" Ace declares after smiling at his energetic brother. He too looks excited for the upcoming battle. Two children that young shouldn't be so eager for battle, Johnson can't help but think. They're complete and total monsters.

All of the ex-Purple Feather pirates are still getting used to preparing to board instead of prepping the cannons. In order to ensure the maximum amount of treasure gets collected, they rarely use their cannons anymore — a feat only possible because of Luffy's absurd ability to bounce cannonballs away. (Ace once demonstrated that he can apparently punch them into dust, but he mostly leaves their dispersal to his younger brother.) Speaking of, the youngest member of the crew launches himself forward and blows his stomach out wide, catching three cannonballs and sending them away from the ship. One lands and impacts the bow of the other Galleon.

"Oops," Luffy says with mild disappointment, as though he has dropped a glass pitcher instead of causing mass destruction.

"Don't worry about it, Lu," Ace assures him, playing the older brother role, as ever. "I'm sure we'll be able to get enough treasure for food."

Before Johnson has time to groan and subtly chide them, Samson (who was designated to steer the ship for no particular reason other than 'Luffy said so') turns the ship so that it sails aside the other Galleon. They're close enough to board, and planks are thrown across the gaps. They all leap forward and engage the other pirate crew in battle.

They're outnumbered, but that barely makes a difference when they have Ace and Luffy with them. Johnson is the first to admit that they've become borderline cocky when fighting other ships. Each and every time they battle, the other crews and captains are so outclassed. Unfortunately, that sometimes backfires for some of the weaker members of the crew who take on more than they can handle. Luffy and Ace usually appear before anything bad happens. The one time they failed to get there in time and one of their crewmembers was cut down, Luffy reacted with violent fury. The other captain had barely escaped alive, and that was only because Ace was more concerned with calming his brother down than getting justice at the time. Luffy cares about them. A lot. It wasn't until that point that Johnson realized the extent of his fondness. It's . . . nice to have that affectionate little monster in their corner. Johnson has to admit that Ace and Luffy probably care about them more than their last captain did. He carries the thought with him and confidently pushes forward with his sword.

The battle doesn't last very long at all, which has become typical for them since joining with the brothers. The captain of the ship battles three of their men, but Ace quickly takes over and knocks him into the side of the ship. The teen only uses half strength (and Johnson is concerned by the fact that he knows the difference now), so the captain is still conscious, which is necessary for the next step in their pillaging process. Johnson leans on the opposite railing to watch the proceedings. He doesn't bother putting his guard up. There's just no point. None of the opposing pirates will be rising anytime soon and the captain is well and truly outmatched. Many of their men return to the ship for water or to patch up some of their wounds. Others hover behind their new captains as Luffy approaches the opposing captain slowly and kneels next to his limp form.

"Hey, guy, what's your name?"

The captain grunts.

"Hmmm? Well, I'm Luffy."

More silence.

"Why do you sail? Do you have a dream?"

From Johnson's vantage point, he can see the incredulity in the other captain's eyes, and he completely sympathizes with his confusion. It's a common side-effect from dealing with the two brothers (Luffy especially).

"For money. For power," the captain eventually spits out.

"That's a lame reason," Luffy replies bluntly.

The captain lashes out suddenly with his leg, but Luffy deftly avoids the attack, jumping away and landing lightly on his feet.

"Ace, I don't think he's a very nice guy."

"Me neither," Ace agrees. And that settles that. They're claiming the treasure and anything else of value that they can find on the ship. Johnson and the rest of his crewmates stand a little straighter in anticipation of the inevitable orders.

"Should we make him walk the plank, or just knock him out?" Ace asks with a grin.

Johnson by this point knows that the former option isn't a serious one; the only reason Ace ever says it is because it makes Luffy laugh, and he does not disappoint this time. Neither boy is particularly violent, or at least they take no pleasure from tormenting weaker opponents. In fact, Johnson doesn't think that he's seen either brother even purposefully kill anyone. (Unintentional death is likely, however. The two wreak such havoc that Johnson would not be at all surprised to learn of accidental fatalities.)

"The hell I will," the captain snaps. Before they realize what's happening, the man reaches forward and taps Luffy on the elbow before he can move away. Luffy immediately goes limp, utterly unconscious. The captain is quick to claim his captive and holds him at knifepoint with a dagger from his belt. Johnson snaps to attention and slowly approaches the enemy captain who stands on the edge of the boat, pressing as close he dares to the man holding Luffy. Johnson doesn't really have to worry though (and he will later berate himself for thinking to worry in the first place), because Ace is there, and Ace is furious.

"I ate the Sleep Sleep fruit," the captain says with a wicked grin. "This boy is now—" He doesn't get any further because a sudden wave of power bursts from the teen captain, rippling out of him in twisting energy. Johnson shudders. Ace is somehow able to control this power — Haki, he briefly explained once — so it doesn't affect their crew. That doesn't mean the faint threads they do sense don't utterly unsettle them.

As expected, the captain immediately goes limp. What isn't expected is his fall backwards, off of the ship, Luffy still in hand.

Johnson barely registers what he's doing until he hits the water. Taking a deep breath, he dives quickly and kicks his legs as rapidly as he can to go deeper and deeper. He knows that Luffy won't be able to react, to hold his breath, to struggle if he's still asleep like Jonson fears he is. Johnson knows that even if he is awake, no Devil Fruit user can float, or even fight the current. He catches up with the dark shape of the unconscious enemy captain and the frighteningly still Luffy. He pushes himself deeper, ignoring the burn in his lungs as he finally reaches Luffy and pulls him from the other captain's limp hands. Using one arm, he begins quickly stroking upwards, to the surface. He sees Ace appear suddenly, and the boy swiftly grabs Johnson and Luffy and pulls them up to the surface. They burst through the water, and Johnson takes in some much needed air in gasps. He turns and sees that Luffy is still unconscious.

"Get a ladder!" Johnson shouts as Ace takes his brother from the first mate's hands and frantically swims forward to the Jacob's ladder that is tossed off the side of the boat. Ace heaves himself and his brother onto the ship, and Johnson anxiously follows. He knows in his gut that Luffy's chances aren't good. He's still unconscious. God knows how much water he swallowed. Johnson pulls himself aboard and finds a nervous circle of his crewmates surrounding Ace and his brother. Johnson pushes in and is treated to the painful sight of Ace frantically giving his brother CPR.

He alternates pressing Luffy's thin chest and breathing into his mouth, and Johnson distantly wonders if Ace even bothered checking for a pulse. The youngest brother's skin is sallow and Johnson knows his body is painfully chilled. This has to be the stillest Johnson has ever seen the boy, as even in sleep, he tosses and turns like a monster unless Ace is there to hold him. The sudden memory of the fraternal scene only makes watching this even harder.

"No, Luffy, Luffy. You can't do this to me!" Ace shouts frantically. "If you do this I will never forgive you, your nakama will never forgive you!"

He presses his lips against his brother's and pushes more air into his lungs desperately. Johnson can see that some of the crew members are looking away, and one or two have water on the edges of their eyes.

"GODDAMN IT, LUFFY! IF YOU DIE, I'M COMING RIGHT AFTER YOU. I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE! JUST LIVE! I NEED YOU TO LIVE! I WON'T DO THIS WITHOUT YOU!"

With a final, bruisingly powerful press against his ribcage, Luffy miraculously starts coughing up water. Ace is quick to roll him onto his side to weakly hack more brine onto the deck before blearily opening his eyes.

"Ace?" Luffy murmurs. The next thing he knows, he is being clutched desperately by his older brother, who pets his hair and digs his fingers into Luffy's wet shirt. Slowly, the younger puts the pieces together. He gently pushes away from his brother, squirming slightly until the older finally reluctantly moves back a little. His grip remains completely firm.

"Sorry, Ace."

"You fucking idiot," Ace says, and all of them know he doesn't mean it, because he starts crying hopelessly relieved tears.

Johnson finds a few have fallen from his cheeks as well. The surrounding crew members let out cheers.

And God, this is the moment when Johnson realizes that he could never abandon them. His body just reacted when Luffy fell overboard. Somehow, at some point in time, the two brothers burrowed their way deep into Johnson's and the crew's hearts.

And there is nothing Johnson can do to change that. So he does the only thing he can. He gently approaches Ace and tells him he's got this covered. Ace nods distantly, but doesn't break eye-contact with his little brother. Despite Luffy's weak protests, Ace carries him all the way back to the ship, to the rarely used captain's quarters. When the door shuts behind them, Johnson takes a deep breath and exhales.

"Alright everyone, what are you standing around for?! Snap to it! We have treasure to loot." The men immediately move, scattering towards the underdeck where they usually find the treasury.

Johnson nods to himself. He can do this until the brothers recover, which he has a feeling will be a long time coming emotionally.

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After Ace closes the door of the captain's quarters behind them, he takes the wet outer clothes off his weakly protesting brother until he's just in his boxers. He carefully buries Luffy under the thick covers before similarly divesting himself, crawling in after and wrapping his arms tightly around his brother.

Ace's heart has yet to slow down; it's still racing furiously in his chest. God, he was too far away. If Johnson hadn't instantly gone after him, then there's a chance that his brother would have been lost to the sea. The very thought makes Ace pull Luffy closer into him and it still isn't near enough because how on earth can he get his brother close enough that he never has to worry about losing him ever again?

"Ace." Luffy's voice makes him pull a little away from the embrace. "I'm alright."

"You almost weren't, Luffy. Do you know how close you were to dying?! Your pulse was nearly gone when we got you on the ship!" Anger comes easier than anything else when he's wracked with fear. Luffy seems to understand perfectly because he just gently strokes Ace's hair, and the older wonders when exactly their positions of comforter and comfortee got switched.

"I'm here, Ace."

"Never, never do this to me again, Luffy. I can't do this without you. I _won't_ do this without you."

Luffy opens his mouth a few times, but doesn't say anything. Instead he just presses a kiss to Ace's forehead and lets the fifteen-year-old crush him into his chest.

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Things are tense after Luffy's brush with death. All the members of the crew are surprised, just like Johnson was, to discover how much they care about the two kids. They leave food outside the door for them but never enter or even knock at Johnson's discretion. The food disappears when no one's paying attention, so they know that they're at least alive in there. They all try and wait patiently, but it's hard when they haven't seen hide nor hair of the two, and it's even harder for the crew members that were on the ship when Luffy was pulled out and had heard Ace's disturbing declaration. Johnson tried to think if there was anyone in the world he loves so much that he couldn't live without, if there was someone who he'd follow into death. No one comes to mind, and he can't decide if that's good or not.

What is probably the most frightening thing of all is the nightmares. Johnson knows both brothers suffer from chronic nightmares, has known since practically their first night on board. It's one of the reasons why they always share a cot, which Johnson had at first reacted to with discomfort; the two boys are too old for that. He quickly learned the necessity of the closeness, however. Sometimes the first mate will awaken to the sound of a short, pained whine, followed by shushes and soothing sounds. Other times he'll be coming down at the end of his shift and hear them murmuring calming words to each other, talking about all kinds of things that Johnson tries not to eavesdrop on, but the snippets he's caught (skeletons, cyborgs, phoenixes, to name a few) are beyond bizarre. What's really unsettling is that he knows both brothers have them, not just the younger which he would normally guess, but stubborn, cheerful Ace struggles with demons all the same.

Every now and then Johnson wonders what on earth the two have seen that gives them such horrifying dreams. Despite how much Luffy chatters — and he _does_ chatter — none of the crew know very much about their personal lives. He's begun to think that there is perhaps a reason why they never really talk about the past and Johnson doesn't think he really wants to know so he has always left well enough alone.

By now, all of the crewmembers have adjusted to the nightmares. Even still, and despite the fact that the brothers are not quartering with them in the wake of Luffy's brush with death, they are all jolted awake by a blood-curdling scream. Johnson is the first to race to his feet, but most of the other men are right behind him. The man on night watch is already by the door, hovering uncertainly, and he takes a relieved step back when Johnson arrives. Johnson tenses and cups his hand to the door and leans closer to hear if everything's okay.

"I'm here Ace, I'm here, I'll never leave you, I'm here, I'm here."

He removes his hands and shakes his head at the crew, wordlessly letting them know that there is nothing for it. Uncomfortably, they all settle down again. It won't be the last time they'll be awoken by Ace's cries though.

It is three days until the crew saw the two brothers finally emerge, hand-in-hand, from the captain's quarters. All of them pretend not to stare, but can't help but sneak peeks as they do their various chores.

Johnson is the one to approach them first. He lightly notes that he is glad to see that Luffy is okay. The youngest boy on board gives him a wide grin, and all of the pirates relax muscles they never remembered tensing. Ace doesn't smile. He stares blankly at all of them. His brother's hand is grasped tightly in his and all of them know that he isn't remotely over what happened yet, even three days later. As the day progresses, the crew is concerned to see that Ace barely lets Luffy venture more than a meter away from him at any time, even when they accompany the crew in swabbing the deck and rigging the sails. Speaking of, Ace doesn't let Luffy anywhere near the edge of the ship and instead does all the rigging himself, leaving Luffy, who has been placed exactly a meter away, to pout and make faces.

Luffy puts up with the sudden overbearing behaviors of his brother much better than Johnson would have guessed he would. Luffy smiles patiently at Ace, even as the older holds him as they eat, cloud watch, and just sit at the crow's nest. Every night they return to the captain's cabins. Johnson figures this is to allow them more privacy to talk Ace down from the wretched nightmares that, although there is no more screaming, the older boy no doubt continues to suffer from.

Ace barely speaks to the rest of them, leaving the command of the crew to Johnson, who bears it as casually as he can.

Samson mentions his concern about the brothers during one of their brief daily meetings where they talk about the heading and the general status of things. Ace is normally present (Luffy gets too bored) but he has been absent lately for obvious reasons.

"This isn't healthy," Samson shakes his head. "Ace is smothering Luffy and Luffy's just letting him."

"I know, I'm worried too, but there isn't anything we can do about it."

"I didn't say I was worried," Samson protests, avoiding eye contact, and Johnson has to resist a smile. "It just isn't proper. If they're supposed to be captains of the ship they need to get it together. We all cut them some slack because they're so young, but God, they should have known what they were getting into! A pirate's life isn't something they can just stop dealing with when it gets bad."

"Those two share a bond beyond anything else I've seen before," Johnson begins. Samson stares at him, and the ginger haired man knows that he understands what he means. "If one of them dies, the other one is going, too. It makes them strong, but it'll also be their undoing one day . . . But we can't do anything about this. We just have to hope Luffy can get Ace to come around."

It's another week before it happens, another long, sleepless week. All of them are tense, and near the end of their rope.

Ace is silently rigging the sails with everyone when they hear the cry from the crow's nest.

"Sail ho!"

All of the crewmembers jolt to life and run to the railings. A battle seems like the perfect outlet to alleviate their stress.

"Turn away."

Everyone's heads snap towards Ace who firmly uttered the command. It's the first order he's given in a week and all of them are a little taken aback.

"Full speed ahead," Luffy, ever present by Ace's side, commands in direct contrast with his brother's order. Ace made it clear to them in the first few weeks of their voyage that no matter how childish and ditzy his brother acts, he is to be treated as a co-captain and nothing less.

Luffy has never exerted that authority before now. And what a time to do it.

"Luffy," Ace growls, and they can see him working his jaw.

"Full speed ahead," his little brother repeats, and Samson slowly spins the wheel so that _The North Eagle_ and the other ship are aligned.

"Goddamn it Luffy!"

And this has to be the first time any of them have heard Ace yell at Luffy in true anger.

"Ace," Luffy states.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"The right thing. How do you expect our errands to get done if we don't attack ships?"

"It won't matter if you're dead."

"I won't die."

"You can't make promises like that, Luffy."

"You'd know."

And Ace stumbles back as though he's been shot.

"I— Luffy, I don't—" Ace stutters helplessly.

"I can't make that promise, but neither can you. We just both have to do our best. I want you to trust me to do that."

It's so strange to hear the solemn and serious words come from the mouth of a rambunctious twelve-year-old, but at the moment, it seems like the two boys are nearly a decade older.

"I can't risk it. It'll destroy me, Luffy."

"And how do you think I'd feel if it was the other way around?! You can't just willingly throw yourself in front of me Ace, I won't let you. Because I'll tell you what, I already _know_ how it feels."

And Johnson thinks maybe he's hearing some of the material that keeps each boy awake during the early hours of the morning. It's frightening.

Ace replies, "You survived without me!"

"I didn't!" Luffy screams. "I was never the same. Some of me was gone forever when Akainu hit you, and you can't make me watch that happen again."

"Luffy—"

The younger doesn't reply. Instead he moves forward and punches his older brother through part of the ship's wall.

They all watch, frozen and breathless, as Ace slowly pulls himself up.

" _Ace._ " Luffy pushes so much emotion into the word that Johnson loses all meaning.

"Luffy." And suddenly the teenager sounds weak, utterly bereft of the anger and resolve from moments ago. Johnson realizes that Luffy has won this battle. His hypothesis is confirmed when Luffy approaches his brother. First he kisses the bruise rapidly fading on his brother's face and then a short peck on the cheek. Johnson knows that sort of easy affection between teenage brothers should throw him more than it actually does, but the movement is so innocent that he finds he cannot be disturbed by it.

Ace sighs, seeming incredibly old, but also lighter than Johnson's seen him these past few days.

"Full speed ahead," he orders, standing up from the wooden rubble. His eyes remain glued to his brother.

Johnson can't help but smile at the command, and he sees many of his crewmates echo it.

"Aye!"

"I probably shouldn't say this, Luffy, but I want this guy to be bad," Ace says wearily.

"Don't worry, Ace, I'm sure he'll be rotten."

Johnson sighs inwardly.

"And if not, we can go find an armada of Marine ships to make you feel better, okay?"

Various crew members fall over in shock at Luffy's innocent words, and it's at that moment that Johnson knows everything is back to normal.

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 **Thanks again for your patience. I'll try to post the next chapter on Friday, but I can't guarantee because of my recent difficulty getting on a computer.**


	7. Tomorrow Never Knows

**It's been two days, but the response has been just lovely! Thanks go out to: Zeke Jones, Smoochynose, angelrider13, funmom, Catflower Queen, bibliophile030, Guest (08/19/15), Anatomy of Peace, LittleChomper, lany-chan, Trich, and Naron Daylane.**

 **And eternal thanks to my betas breather and HadenXCharm.**

 **Now to the next chapter. We have a lovely special appearance.**

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 _Chapter 7: Tomorrow Never Knows_

* * *

Robin leans on one hand as she sits at the wooden table outside the restaurant. The day is in the awkward middle place between late afternoon and night, and the orange twilight is rather beautiful, Robin thinks. Tohroa is a rather charming island with all kinds of quaint shops. Her restaurant of choice is thankfully sparse of other people. There are a few couples, but all of them are dining inside the establishment instead of alfresco, like she is. The air's a little chilly, but Robin doesn't mind. She's gazing idly out into the streets when she spies a small boy standing in the middle of the road, staring at her. He has dark hair and black eyes, and his unwavering gaze sets alarms off in her head. When he notices that she's spied him, a wide, genuine smile spreads over his face and he quickly trots toward the table.

The boy, who cannot be any older than twelve, climbs up on the seat across from her and casually crosses his legs. Even with his legs beneath him, his head is only a little above the table. Once he's settled, he resumes his staring.

"Are you lost, child?" Robin asks her strange visitor.

"No," he replies. His smile has yet to fade.

"Well, where are your mother and father?"

"I don't got a mother and my dad's busy doing other stuff far away."

Robin blinks, wondering exactly why the boy decided to approach her and of all things sit at her table uninvited. A part of her mind that is always alert sends dull alarms through her body, warning her that this boy is suspicious. It's unlikely, but not impossible that the boy may have seen her face on a wanted poster . . . 80,000,000 Berri is enough to tempt even children.

"What's your name?" he asks, interrupting her thoughts.

She inwardly narrows her eyes before debating a reply.

"My name is Robin." She decides on just using her first name. "What's your name?"

The boy's chest puffs out. "I'm Luffy and I'm gonna be King of the Pirates!" His exclamation is so childish and earnest that Robin finds herself chuckling lightly.

"My, my, that is ambitious of you, Luffy-kun."

"I'm not Luffy-kun, just Luffy," the boy presses, pouting.

"Mmmm." She hums noncommittally. "Are you staying with some family? Surely you aren't alone?"

His toothy grin widens. "Yeah! I'm here with my big brother! He's on an errand today. I wanted to follow him, but he wouldn't let me." Luffy pouts childishly, but Robin can tell he's actually upset by the fact in some capacity.

"Why is that?"

"Because he's trawling for treasure today and I ate a Devil's Fruit so I can't swim down with him," Luffy explains crossly. Robin blinks at the information. Well that's unexpected. Most devil fruit users tend to be rather secretive— children especially learn that hard way.

"Which fruit did you eat?" she wonders.

"The Gum-Gum fruit. I'm a rubber man!"

Robin watches with interest as he pulls his cheek in demonstration. He's so young . . . Only a bit older than she was.

"Have you been a user long?" Her mind is sent drifting back to her own unpleasant childhood.

"Since I was seven."

Earlier than Robin was at the time. It's so incredibly young.

"I ate it on accident," he goes on to say, unknowingly shaking Robin from her thoughts. She smiles momentarily, because something about the boy tells her that it isn't incredibly surprising. Still, Robin can't help but ask,

". . . Do you struggle with it? Fitting in?"

"Ummmm, well the kids in the village didn't like me very much. They kind of teased me for a while. My brother's really cool about it though. Even though he used to say it was a lame power— which it's not!"

Robin chuckles. "It's good to have family."

"Yeah!" Luffy chirps, seeming genuinely delighted by the fact. Robin likes that he appreciates it. She knows all too well that it could disappear in a moment.

There's a pause before Luffy asks her a question.

"Ne, Robin, do you have a dream?" His eyes are wide and expectant.

She smiles at the innocent question and finds herself answering truthfully. "One day, I'd like to know the entire world's history," she explains briefly.

A large smile spreads over the boy's face. "That's a really good dream!"

"A little less exciting than Pirate King, perhaps," she muses to him.

Luffy shakes his head quickly. "Nu-uh, finding out history is an adventure! You have to go to lots of islands and strange places with strange people and strange food— I'm so hungry . . . But I mean you have to have adventures to find out history! It's really exciting!"

She blinks before smiling. "That's kind of you to say, Luffy-kun."

"No, no, call me Luffy," the boy presses. "I'm not Luffy-kun!"

"Would you like me to order you something, Luffy-kun?"

"Yeah!" Luffy exclaims, and, much to her amusement, completely misses her formal use of his name.

She leans back so she's more visible to the inside of the restaurant and hails down a male waiter. He looks chagrinned to have failed to notice her before now. Although, now that he has noticed her . . . well, his drifting eyes will ensure the service will be good at least, Robin supposes. "Two bowls of miso ramen, please," she orders and the waiter immediately heads to the kitchen. Her companion doesn't seem a picky type. His grin affirms her assumption.

As she anticipated, the service is _quick._ He puts the bowl of ramen in front of her with obvious delicacy, making sure the presentation is perfect. He then moves to put Luffy's bowl down. Luffy's face spreads into a wide grin of excitement.

"Food! Food! Food!" he chants. The waiter's hand barely leaves the bowl before Luffy digs in with the manners of as hog. Robin smiles benignly while the waiter inches away with disgust. Robin dismisses him with a polite nod of her head, and he's more than eager to leave.

"Is the food good, Luffy-kun?" she asks as she picks up her chopsticks and eats a few noodles.

"It's good!" he exclaims with food still in his mouth. He doesn't lose a single noodle as he speaks, and it becomes clear to her that Luffy is both adroit and practiced at speaking with his mouth full. After a minute or two, his bowl is completely empty. Robin has a sneaking suspicion that he could probably finish earlier if he was in a real hurry. His gaze settles on her bowl, and his large black eyes attentively watch her chopsticks as they pick up ramen. She lowers her hands before setting her chopsticks aside.

"Luffy-kun, would you perhaps like to finish my bowl, I don't feel especially hungry."

"Yes! Thank you, Robin, you're so nice!" He needs no more invitation and grabs the bowl from her place before attacking it with the same gusto as the first.

She chuckles to herself. The boy is painfully easy to read . . . not that he hides anything. Luffy seems to keep his emotions and thoughts on full display. Robin thinks it's a rather charming trait. Not many people are as open as he was— children his age included. It's because he's so open that Robin can feel the strange sensation of Love in his eyes that's directed towards her. It isn't the kind of _l_ ove people in romantic relationships exude, but _L_ ove in a familial way. She doesn't understand why he looks at her so fondly, but to be truthful, it's been decades since she's last felt so much genuine affection. It's admittedly nice.

He finishes off the second bowl in a fashion similar to the first. She watches his innocent disappointment that there is no more food. His emotions are so untainted Robin finds herself feeling inexplicably wistful. She hails the waiter and orders two more bowls for Luffy. It isn't like she doesn't have the money. What does a wanted woman with no home have to spend money on? Food, a temporary place to stay, and clothes are the only things she's had to purchase in the past ten years. It's rare for her to actually sit down with someone like this and enjoy a meal together. Perhaps she wants Luffy to stay a while longer, and that is why she orders him more food. It's only for a little bit longer anyways. She's leaving the island tomorrow and will never see Luffy again. She idly wonders if he makes a habit of joining strange women at their tables.

"Ne, Robin, come with me on my adventure!" Luffy gushes as he finished off his last bowl.

"Join you on your adventure?" she asks, amused.

"Yeah! I'll get a pirate ship and you can have your own room, and a library for books and lawn chairs and everything!"

His excitement is sweet, though misplaced. "I'm afraid I can't leave, I have . . ." What was she going to say? Obligations? Friends? No, she has none of those. "I have things to do."

Luffy nods with a surprisingly solemn expression. "Alright, but I'll find you in the future, mkay?"

"Oh really?"

"Yes. When I'm bigger and stronger, and then you can be a part of my crew, 'cause I'll be able to protect you. I'll save you a spot, alright?"

She's unable to stop the smile that spread over her lips at his childish promise. "That sounds lovely, Luffy-kun."

"That way you can follow your dream without anyone hurting you." The expression on his face as he speaks the last sentence makes her pause, and question exactly how much the boy knows about her, and exactly how much he knows about the world. Her self-preservation kicks in and she knows it's wise to leave.

"Thank you for joining me for dinner, Luffy-kun," Robin says as she stands up and places a few bills on the table. Luffy stands with her, smile spreading over his face once more.

"Thanks for the food!" he gushes.

"It was a pleasure meeting you." She dips her head as a goodbye and attempts to walk away, but Luffy trots after her. He either misses her dismissal or ignores it.

"You should probably head home before the sun sets," Robin says. She beings walking through the main street of the town, Luffy on her heels. Some of the citizens are still lingering in the dusk, closing up shop once and for all, while a few are lighting their lamps for night service. "Your brother will probably worry about you if you aren't back when he returns."

"My home?" Luffy asks with a furrowed brow.

"Where is your house?" Robin asks. "The residential part of town is towards the left, isn't it?" She takes a side-road towards where his home likely is. Hopefully he'll catch the hint, despite his obviously dense nature.

"Huh? I don't live here." He speaks plainly.

Robin blinks and slows her pace. "Where do you live, then?"

"I live in the East Blue on Dawn Island!"

"That's awfully far away. Isn't that the island that Goa Kingdom is on? I've heard of that place. It's called the cleanest city in the world. Are you perhaps a cabin boy on a merchant ship?" It would explain how he ended up all the way in the West Blue. He stops walking in the middle of an alley. The dark expression on his face warns her that something about what she said is awry.

"It may be the cleanest city, but only 'cause they dump all their trash in Grey-Terminal!" he replies and his expression is tumultuous. "It isn't a nice place at all." His face smooths out quickly though. "But it's just my brother and I sailing. We have to pick some stuff up."

"I see," she murmurs in reply. Robin turns the information over in her mind calmly. Luffy's strong feelings indicate that he likely doesn't live in the Kingdom. Perhaps he lives in or around Grey-Terminal. That would explain his heated reply. The mere mention of his brother is enough to make any ire leave Luffy's face. Their fraternal bond must be strong . . .

She shakes her head to clear her thoughts. Not that it matters. She and Luffy will part here, likely forever.

"I must be leaving now. Thanks again for the company."

She intends to walk away, but stops suddenly as she senses a group of men approaching her from behind. Without even looking at them, she knows that they're here to attempt to capture her. Her eyes flicker to Luffy. Was it a setup? Has she been lured in? The aggressive look on his face as he turns and stares down the men doesn't seem to support her theory. Slowly, Robin turns to face her would-be attackers with a calm expression on her face. There's a group of approximately eleven people, all of which look like the stereotypical bounty hunter thugs that she often comes across in her travels.

"Devil Child Nico Robin?" One man in the front states more than asks as he steps forward.

Robin says nothing, merely watches.

"We're here to collect your bounty." The man cracks his knuckles, a motion echoed by many of the other men. Robin's eyes dart towards Luffy, wondering what she should do with him. Before she can formulate a plan, he's already stepped forward.

"No, you aren't!" Luffy exclaims. "You stupid thugs aren't gonna' lay a finger on Robin!"

His prepubescent voice and unimpressive stature make all of the men burst out into laughter. Robin herself pulls Luffy away from the group of men, and sets him vaguely behind her.

"Oh yeah, little boy? And who's gonna' stop us? _You_?" His words sent the men spiraling into mocking laughter. Luffy sticks his head forward from behind Robin.

"Yeah! You got a problem with that?!"

"I'd like to see you try." The bounty hunter grins maliciously. His other companions copy his body language, pulling out their knives and guns. Robin slowly crosses her arms.

Before any of them can make another move, a strange power pulses from the young boy's body. The compressed, intangible energy blows out in a wave, stunning the majority of the men into unconsciousness so only a few remain standing. Their expressions are terrified. Robin turns back and looks with wide eyes at the young boy. That was Haki. Conqueror's Haki— something said to be so rare that one could go through their entire lives _twice_ without ever witnessing it. And standing before her, a twelve-year-old boy has just used it.

"Got something to say?!" Luffy demands with a challenging tone. He steps in front of her again.

The lead bandit grits his teeth. "Don't get full of yourself! It's three on two, and chances are, you can't avoid bullets!" Quick as a flash, the man draws his gun and aims it at the young boy. Robin, whose arms are still crossed, summons extra hands to disarm the man and the other thugs. She moves to clutch him, but before she can, an orange and yellow blur shoots forward from behind the thugs and knees the thug in charge in the back of his head. The leader is sent flying into the brick wall, face first, and is incredibly still after the fact.

"Luffy, why is it you can never stay out of trouble?"

Robin observes the teen before her. He's also young, maybe sixteen at most. He wears a pale yellow button up that's left open, exposing his developed physique, impressive, considering his age. On his head sits a large orange cowboy hat, adorned with beads. What really strikes Robin is how he moves like a practiced fighter; she knows that she stands before yet another strong young man.

"Awww, Ace, I wanted to do that!" Luffy whines. The other boy, Ace, smiles unapologetically. The two boys' cavalier attitudes are enough to send the remaining two bandits running for the hills. Neither boy pays them much mind. The elder of the pair glances over at her. His eyes widen minutely, and she wonders if he recognizes her from the posters.

He surprises Robin when he bows.

"Thank you for watching over my little brother, I understand he can be a handful," Ace thanks her formally. . . What a polite teenager. After spending less than an hour with Luffy she already knows the younger boy is anything but. She stares speculatively at Ace. So this is the brother Luffy spoke about. She expected someone near their twenties when Luffy said they travelled here from the East Blue on their own. Luffy has, once again, taken her by surprise.

"It was nothing. I barely did anything at all," she replies honestly.

"Ahh, but still, I know how easily he can burn someone's hand."

Despite the fact that Ace speaks about his brother like he isn't there, Luffy is still smiling.

"Ne, ne, Robin! That hand thing was so cool!" He has sparkles in his eyes.

"I ate the Hana-Hana no mi," she explains. Spur of the moment, she crosses her arms over her chest and summons a couple hands on Luffy's shoulders to ruffle his dark hair. He giggles with delight at her strange ability. Ace watches on fondly but she sees him glancing at the setting sun a little impatiently.

"We have to go now, gotta stay on schedule," Ace says, mostly to his brother. "Samson's getting twitchy again."

"Did you find it then?" Luffy asks, eyes glistening in excitement.

Ace chuckles at the reaction and nods. "I put it on the ship already. Everyone's waiting for you to come back so we can leave with the tide."

"Alright," Luffy agrees. He turns towards Robin, and he stares at her for a long moment, seeming torn about something before he gives a light shake of the head and grins widely. "I mean it though! I'll save you a spot on my crew, okay?"

"Okay." She dips her head a little, smiling as she does. "I'll look forward to the day. It was a pleasure meeting you, Luffy-kun."

"No, I'm just Luffy, Monkey D. Luffy!"

Luffy grins once more before he and his brother dash away into the town streets and out of sight.

Robin doesn't move. She's still caught on his last sentence.

"D." Her mind pauses as she remembers the last 'D.' she met. He'll be one to look for when he's older. Robin admittedly hopes to meet him again, despite the unlikelihood. She exhales wistfully before she steps over the bodies of the unconscious thugs and heads back to her hotel to pack.

* * *

Samson stares speculatively at the small wooden chest the elder captain brought back onto the ship before disappearing to find Luffy. It's awfully small for Ace to go to so much trouble. Samson can hold it in two palms.

Apparently, this little box is the main reason why the two brothers set out to sea— and by extension taking over their lives.

He wonders what's inside.

Samson admits that he didn't really believe Ace when he first said that the two of them had no interest in treasure. He knows better now. They really could care less. When the crew raids a ship, both brothers head to the kitchen instead of the treasury. Samson can't understand it at all.

Based off of that logic, then inside the box there should be food or something. Samson snorts at the thought. Ace apparently explored an entire labyrinth of underwater caves to get this. He likes to think that at least one of his captains has a little more sense than to risk his life for food. Luffy might not, but Ace generally does.

His hand hovers indecisively on top of the box. Ace said not to open it, but he went into the town to collect his hyperactive brother. That could easily turn into quite the event. He has time—

"Samson."

He can't help but jump as Johnson appears behind him. Of course he does. The orange-haired pirate takes his duties as first mate seriously, much to Samson's occasional dismay. Right now is a good example of such an occasion.

"What do you think is inside?" Johnson asks.

Samson blinks. He expected Johnson to snap at him. The honest curiosity in his tone is surprising although not unwelcome.

"Knowing those two, probably food," Samson replies sarcastically.

Johnson laughs. "You're probably right." The first mate settles himself against the railing beside Samson, idly waiting for the brothers to return.

Samson sighs a little, and removes his hand that rests on top of the box. There's no chance he'll be able to open it now. Johnson is a very good first mate in that he never uses force to get the crew to not do something— just by being near them, he dissuades their actions with his presence alone because he has earned all of their _respect._ Samson admires the quality, despite its general suckiness.

"Oi!" a voice calls from the pier. Samson turns around and looks over the railing to see Ace and Luffy jogging towards the ship, large grins on their faces.

Samson will never say it aloud, but he was a little worried when the two had to split up. He's never seen either boy stray far from the other, even on the ship. They're _always_ together. The only time Samson ever sees them apart is the daily conference between he, Johnson, and Ace (Luffy lacks the patience for the menial details). This has to be the longest time they've spent apart, and the largest distance between them in the month and a half Samson's known them. He figures that the separation, no matter how short, was probably hard on both of them— Ace especially though. Although Ace has seemingly moved past Luffy's near-drowning incident, Samson can tell that he's still a little overprotective. They seem to be perfectly alright now as they approach the ship — perhaps even happier than usual.

"Hurry up and raise the anchor or else the tide will leave us behind!" Ace orders as he and Luffy board the ship. All the members on deck immediately shout their assent and start raising the anchor and unfurling the sails. There's enough people on deck that Samson feels comfortable just relaxing against the banister and watching Johnson micromanage a few of the pirates that got mildly intoxicated while waiting for the boys. Samson smiles dryly. This is his crew.

Ace directs them towards one of the uninhabited isles they passed on their way to Tohroa. When their heading is good and the sails firm, Ace approaches Samson, Luffy right by his side.

"Thanks for holding onto that for me, Samson," Ace says extending his hand. The navigator places the box in the fifteen-year-old's grasp but doesn't move away. He's hoping that they'll open it here on deck and finally satisfy his curiosity.

"So that's what we sailed to the West Blue for, huh?" Johnson says as he approaches their little circle. Samson knows that he too is hoping to see what's inside.

Ace nods and holds the small treasure chest in his hands with a slightly wistful expression. Luffy looks excited on his brother's behalf. Their lingering sentimentality does nothing to soothe Samson's growing impatience.

"So, what is it?" Samson asks, shamelessly hovering over Ace's shoulder.

"You really want to know?" Ace asks, tilting his head a little.

 _"Yes, I'd like to know the reason why you shanghaied me and my entire crew,"_ he thinks. All he outwardly replies with is a simple nod.

"Okay then," Ace says, smiling. Many other pirates gather around into a small huddle in blatant curiosity. The teen flips the wooden lid open and—and—and—

"IT'S FOOD!" all the crewmembers yell with sharkteeth. Samson is among them. He can't believe that this is for real.

"You captured our ship and passed over the Red Line for some _fruit?!"_

Luffy starts laughing at them, and Ace just shakes his head like an amused parent.

"This isn't your normal fruit." Ace holds it up before them and now Samson can see that there are unnatural ridges along the sides of the making the orange fruit look like it was surrounded by flames. They captured their ship and passed over the Red Line for some _rare_ fruit. Samson isn't consoled.

"It must be pretty delicious fruit for you to travel all the way here," Samson mutters unhappily.

"Oh god, no." Both Luffy and Ace make faces in disgust, and this has to be the only time Samson has ever seen them react negatively to food. The two of them look like they're imagining an especially awful thing, and Samson thinks that he sees Luffy's skin turn a shade of green.

"Oh well," Ace murmurs and throws his head back and swallows the fruit in two large bites before cringing and dropping the box. The teen's actually _shuddering_ at how disgusting it tastes and again Samson wonders what the hell it's all about.

"Why are you eating it if it tastes so bad?" he asks with a sigh.

"Oh." Johnson lets out a soft sound of realization.

"What is it?" Samson asks.

"That was a Devil Fruit, wasn't it?"

Samson snaps his eyes back to Ace who still hasn't recovered from eating the apparently disgusting tasting fruit.

"Ugh, do you think I would eat something so disgusting if it wasn't?" he manages, looking nauseous.

No one has a reply to that.

Eventually Ace's skin tone evens out a shiver visibly runs over his body.

"How is it? How are you?" Luffy asks.

"What fruit was it?" Johnson asks the million Berri question.

"That, my friends, was the Mera Mera no Mi." As he speaks Ace's fingers dissolve into fire. His grin is completely, _wickedly_ delighted. Luffy's smile is wide and joyful.

Everyone stares in shock.

"You're on fire," Samson murmurs in surprise. Ace just grins and Luffy lets out a laugh.

"Full speed ahead everyone. I want to get to that uninhabited island soon." The next part Ace says with a grin directed solely towards his brother. "I wanna' spar."

"No more holding back?" Luffy asks with a slightly feral expression.

"No more holding back," Ace confirms, and all the other pirates fall over.

"HOW WERE YOU HOLDING BACK BEFORE NOW?!"

The brothers blink at them as though they're the ones behaving weirdly and Samson sighs heavily. Johnson is in a similar condition.

"As if these kids weren't already strong enough," Johnson says quietly to Samson.

"Seriously."

All of the pirates are still stunned for the most part and haven't moved to answer Ace's command. Thankfully it seems like the lookout is still paying attention to their surroundings.

"Sail ho!"

Samson turns around and sees a large frigate only a little ways away. What's the most important part is the Jolly Roger waving in the wind. The sun has just about set, and usually Johnson will advise the captains not to attack, but when Samson sees a flame run over Ace's body in excitement, he knows there's no point and so he starts for the helm to navigate them towards the frigate. He takes over the control from one of the older pirates on the crew. From his position at the wheel he has a good view of the two brothers. Luffy's bouncing on his heels with excitement, and Ace just looks dangerous.

"Luffy, leave this to me," the older of the pair says firmly.

"But, _Aaaaaacccee,"_ Luffy whines

Ace ruffles his little brother's hair. "I'll take you out for ramen to make up for it."

"Really?!" Luffy exclaims.

"Please have a lot of treasure, please have a lot of treasure." Samson has his fingers crossed and he hears his other crewmates making similar pleas. If the two captains are going out for ramen, they need to pull a sum with at least four digits, maybe even five, to stay ahead of the curve.

Ace leaps onto the railing, visibly buzzing with excitement as two ships get closer to each other. They're still a dozen meters away when Ace pulls back his fist.

" _Hiken!"_

A column of fire shoots from Ace's hand and goes spiraling towards the enemy frigate before colliding with the side of the ship in a burst of flames. There are gasps in awe of how destructive the fruit really is. Luffy's jumping up and down excitably, and Ace's smile is wide. Samson's happy for them, he really is, except for one minor detail.

The frigate is now steadily burning.

"You set the ship on fire." It's Johnson who states the obvious.

"Oops. I got too excited, I guess." Ace scratches the bridge of his nose

"Oops?!" Samson snaps, jumping down from the upper level of the helm and going up to the older brother. "We're going to lose all the treasure!"

"My bad!" Ace says, looking sheepish but not nearly as apologetic as he should be. Samson takes a deep breath and steps away from his captain.

Apparently, Ace suffers from teenage excitement after all. Go figure. His eagerness though might cost them the treasure, which Samson is _not_ okay about. A tick develops in the navigator's eyebrow. Ace seems to understand that he needs to fix it because he turns towards his younger brother.

"Luf?"

Without another word, the twelve-year-old immediately launches himself over to the ship. He's followed by a comet-like Ace. Luffy catches the railing and pulls himself up near the bow of the ship which is still flame free. Ace on the other hand lands right in the middle of the fire, entirely unbothered by the heat and flames. He and Luffy meet eyes and nod to each other. The pirates on the burning ship are panicking and lowering the lifeboats as quickly as they can, and the contrast between their blatant panic and the two brothers' coolness is giving Samson a headache.

"Get ready to catch the treasure!" Ace calls over towards them as he disappears into the fiery cabin that leads below deck. Luffy stretches an arm towards the mast in preparation to slingshot the treasure towards them

"How the hell are we supposed to catch any of this?!" Samson exclaims

Johnson takes it mostly in stride and turns to the closest crew member to him. "Get the largest blanket from the Captain's quarters." The rather stunned pirate shakes himself before nodding and dashing towards the cabin.

"You can't be serious," Samson deadpans, looking at the first mate.

"Do you have a better idea?"

Admittedly, he does not. The ship will likely burn down faster than they can get a small boat out there, and even then, it'll probably take more than one trip considering the size of the frigate and the potentially large horde of treasure. Samson pinches the bridge of his nose. The distressed cries from the other pirates who are all still evacuating into lifeboats isn't helping his building migraine in the slightest.

"Samson, turn the boat starboard so we have a better angle," Johnson orders. He and a few other men are holding a large red blanket out in anticipation.

"I swear, if Luffy misses and blows a hole in the ship, I won't forgive him," the navigator eventually mutters.

"Samson!" Johnson snaps.

"Aye, aye." Samson grudgingly resumes his position at the helm and turns the ship.

"Are you ready?" Luffy calls over the water, body stretched out wide.

"Ready!" Johnson shouts, as he and the other three men tense their bodies and grip the blanket tightly.

Samson just sighs. This is his life now.

* * *

As the anchor lowers, Johnson watches Samson leave the helm with an irritable expression covering the navigator's face. The first mate knows that the brunet man gets irritated with the boys more easily than the rest of them. It isn't too hard for Johnson to understand. In the beginning, Johnson certainly felt that way himself. Adjusting to the two of them was nerve-wracking at first. He's more used to it now. These days, Johnson mostly feels exasperated, (maybe with a little fondness). Both boys are always surrounded by exciting things. Adventure seems to just gravitate towards them and Johnson has to admit that he's having fun joining them on this ride.

Most of the men disembark on the island, all wanting to run around a little and let off some steam. Though the day was exciting, most of them didn't have all that much to do. Luffy and Ace, despite having had 'much to do' are the most energetic of them all. Johnson descends off the landing plank and stands on the sand for a few moments while taking in his surroundings. The isle is medium sized with a wide beach that leads up to a dense looking jungle where growls can be faintly heard. At least they won't have to worry about what they're going to eat tonight. The two brothers are nearby and Johnson can hear their conversation.

"Spar, or food?" Ace asks, and Johnson knows that it's the only thing Luffy actually has a hard time choosing between.

"Spar." Luffy nods decisively.

"Alright, little brother, prepare to eat sand!" Ace leaps towards Luffy who extends towards some of the nearby trees. Ace dashes after him, and Johnson sees flames light up his skin as he joyously chases his brother around the island.

"Johnson."

The first mate turns to see Samson approaching him. The brunet man looks a little better after sitting on the beach a while. His eyes flicker towards the figures of Ace and Luffy and there's only a bit of annoyance, which is always a good sign.

"Yeah?" Johnson replies.

"What was the final count?"

"Twenty-six thousand."

Samson raises a surprised eyebrow. Johnson understands his reaction. The boys only recovered seven chests before the frigate gets too unstable and Ace orders his brother back to the ship with his Big Brother Voice. (There _were_ eight chests, but Luffy felt the need to toss a chest to one of the other pirates' lifeboats as an apology for burning down their ship.)

"According to Louis, the chests have mostly precious gems. Lots of diamonds."

Louis is their appraiser— something which they never needed on board until the brothers came along. Johnson took it upon himself to pick one up at one of the islands they stopped on after the first two raids. Though Louis isn't the best sailor, he knows his stuff.

"26,000 Beri. Well, that makes it almost worth the stress and migraines," Samson says, still a little irked.

"Don't get so strung-out," Johnson says, and he smiles inwardly at the affronted look that Samson gives him. "We went to the West Blue and they got what they came for. You know what this means?"

Samson pauses before realization lights his eyes.

"We're going to head back."

Johnson nods. "We're probably going to head back to the East Blue."

Samson looks over at the brothers who are creating massive explosions in the sand as their hits fail to land on target.

"You know, I think maybe I'll miss those little monsters," Samson says softly, before his eyes narrow. "Not that much, mind you."

"Of course."

"Seriously, those two are shaving years off my life."

" . . . Probably."

"Johnson," Samson says with a hint of aggravation. Johnson just chuckles a little.

"I know exactly what you mean, Samson, but it really hasn't been all bad," the first mate says with a shrug. "And I'm not just talking about the treasure. This whole thing has been pretty . . . nice."

"They do seem to encounter some exciting things."

"Certainly a unique experience."

"I'll admit, this wasn't the worst campaign I've ever been on. For the most part, I guess it's still just so unsettling how powerful they are. These boys aren't your normal pirates."

Part of Johnson wants to snort because of course nothing about the two brothers is normal, but he knows what Samson means— Luffy and Ace are in a league far beyond what Johnson could even imagine. They were _special_ even among all the other outstanding pirates.

"Things'll be much quieter to be sure." Samson crosses his arms. "And less violent."

"Definitely." Johnson nods.

" . . . I'm going to miss them."

"Me too."

The pair sigh and walk a little more inland where some of the men have stacked a large pile of wood for a bonfire. It has to be large if they want to cook whatever large quarry the brothers drag in. Speaking of, Johnson turns towards the jungle where he hears trees falling and the distressed cries of some rather unfortunate animals.

A few moments later Ace and Luffy emerge from the forest. Ace is carrying a massive tiger the size of two lifeboats over his head with inhuman ease. Luffy drags two bears that are a tad smaller than the tiger over the ground towards the kindling. Johnson estimates that the brothers will probably have the tiger for themselves and maybe even some of the bear.

None of the pirates will ever get used to how much food the two consume.

As Ace places the tiger carcass down, he points towards the wood and a fire just starts.

"Whoa."

Johnson hears a few men murmur. The first mate is a little surprised by how at ease Ace is with his new powers, as though he's already used to them. Johnson should probably know by now that underestimating the brothers is a pointless pursuit.

"Meshi, meshi, meshi!" Luffy sings to himself excitably as he prepares the meat to be cooked. Ace meanwhile is helping them prepare the two bears because they're too heavy for most of the men to deal with easily. Luffy creates two makeshift spits and soon enough the meat is merrily roasting over the fires.

The tiger is cooked to a level that is likely still inedible to humans but both brothers are too hungry to care. Johnson guesses it's a good thing that they're generally less than human most of the time. As the boys dig in, Samson clears his throat.

"Ace, how did you even know where to find it?"

Ace pauses for a moment and swallows his food. "Find what?"

"The Devil Fruit."

Johnson turns back to their captain. He didn't think of that before. It was hidden in such a bizarre location that took such a specific method to get it— he wonders where a fifteen-year-old hears these kinds of things.

"I heard it at a bar from a drunk," Ace says, anticlimactically.

"Oh," Samson says disappointedly.

"Really?" Luffy asks, a strange note of surprise in his voice. "Did you really hear it at a bar?"

"Really. Have I never told you how I found it?"

Luffy shakes his head.

"Huh. I guess I haven't told you everything."

Luffy's expression falls and his eyes become inexplicably muted.

"I haven't told you everything either."

The words coupled with the empty look in Luffy's eyes are enough to make Ace's hand shoot towards his brother's, and his expression jump to worry.

"Luffy . . . ?"

The younger brother shakes his head, and his eyes steadily regain their light. He smiles, as though nothing happened.

"Later. You promised we could spar again!"

Johnson had thought it was a rather short match before. It suddenly made sense though.

Before Ace could ask anything more, Luffy is jumping away, laughing.

Luffy and Ace decide to spend the night on the beach, and some of the other men are on the same page. A few of the less nice blankets are pulled off the ship and brought ashore. Ace and Luffy predictably get only one blanket and spread it out a little ways away from the fire. Johnson, who is among the ones to sleep on the beach, somehow ends up within earshot of the pair, something he regrets as he hears them whispering to each other even as everyone else falls silent.

He hears Luffy, voice surprisingly calm say, "I wasn't expecting to see her."

"I know," Ace replies.

"I'm just really happy."

"She seemed happy too."

"I hope she joins my crew again."

Johnson furrows his brow, even as sleep begins to overtake him.

"I think she will."

Johnson can hear Luffy's smile, and that's the last thing he knows before falling asleep.

 **.**

* * *

 **Sorry for the weird formatting and periods at end. Line break is being uncooperative.**

 **See you all next Friday to wrap up the prequel-esque opening. Chapter nine we start with the story story!**

 **Thanks for reading! Drop a review if you like~**


	8. Hello, Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye

**Wow, you all are awesome. We're at over 100! massive thanks to: Smoochynose, of Serendip, Catflower Queen, Hahukum Konn, Soomin, xlunatica, Ms . McClue, Guest (08/22/15), bibliophile030, Jisca, angelrider13, Zelga Lim Li [2], LittleChomper, I'm hungry010, Trainer Azurite, Alexzandria747, Trich, The Mightier Pen, Kiddiluna, EmInArEvOl, Sea Rover Tactician, IceTaloned Frayfu, Talon of soaring Eagle, Yana5, Reign of Rayne, Rin-s666, sess18, Ecarlates, and Lily Noir!**

 **I'm utterly stunned. I'm also delighted that most of you seem to think the ex-purple feather pirates are pretty decent. That's a huge relief for me~**

 **Also, thanks to my two betas, breather and HadenXCharm; they are brilliant!~ If there are flaws you find, it's stuff I either kept for style purposes, or changed after the initial edit.**

 **So this is officially the end of the prologue, after this chapter we go into canon-land.**

* * *

 _Chapter 8: Hello, Goodbye, Hello, Goodbye_

* * *

Samson lightly taps the end of his quill pen against the ink pot in front of him. He figures he'll update the captain's log while waiting for Johnson and Ace to appear for their weekly meeting.

Samson still isn't totally adjusted to how the brothers run the ship, and writing the captain's log despite being the navigator is one of the many peculiarities Samson's been forced to accede to. Admittedly, he has found that he enjoys record keeping, after having done so for the last two months. Filling the captain's log gives him means to vent a little about all the strange things that happen on his ship. In the temporary respite, he begins the entry for the day.

 _Day 179 since leaving port._

 _Day 75 since Ace and Luffy acquired control._

Figuring how to word that sentence without anger or frustration had taken Samson at least a month.

 _Weather: Early ice storms, but skies cleared after half an hour. Maintaining sunny at the moment._

He leaves an extra line for whatever freak phenomenon will likely happen later in the day, then starts the bulk of the entry.

 _Things on the ship are running smoothly. The treasury has grown to 950,000 Beri as of this moment, but I expect it to reach over a million soon. Assuming Ace and Luffy don't sink the ship sparring. Since acquiring Ace's Devil's Fruit, the captains have been sparring more. They destroyed two tables in the galley after Ace fell asleep and Luffy stole his food. Thankfully, a ship attacked before they could exchange more than a few blows. If nothing goes awry, we'll likely pull through considerably better off than before. In a day or two, we'll be back at the Red Line and Reverse Mountain. None of the men are looking forward to our arrival._

Samson hesitates before adding.

 _Time on this side-adventure is coming to a close._

He shakes his head before pushing on.

 _Both Luffy and Ace have been pushing the ship to her maximum capacity for speed. They're nervous about something, but what that is, I don't yet kn—_

"Sampan!"

Samson looks up to the door where Luffy, Ace, and Johnson are entering the cabin. Luffy skips up to the desk, grinning cheerfully.

"It's Samson," the navigator corrects automatically, knowing it's useless because Luffy willfully gets it wrong whenever he likes. There isn't much Samson can do about that, so he blows on the ink for a moment, before shutting the book and pushing it to the side. Luffy takes advantage of the new space and plops himself atop the table, thin rubbery legs dangling in the air. Samson stands and moves to the side of the desk so he doesn't have to crane over Luffy to talk. He's a little surprised to see Luffy here, as the preteen is usually too bored to put up with the day-to-day details of running a ship. Not like Ace, who has a knack for management. Said teen leans on the desk beside his brother, so their arms are touching.

Not for the first time, Samson is struck by the thought that the two are practically attached by the hip.

"Hello, good afternoon," Ace greets politely.

"Same," Samson replies, nodding.

"What's our status?" the teen asks. Samson notes the almost nervous intensity in his gaze— something characteristic in the past week.

"If the wind stays favorable, we should hopefully reach the Red Line in a day or two," Samson reports.

Ace exhales, but still looks anxious. "We're going to be cutting it awfully close, but I think we'll make it."

"Why the deadline?" Johnson asks. Samson turns curiously. He hadn't thought to ask before.

Both men are surprised to see fear enter Ace's eyes as Luffy shudders beside him.

"Our shitty grandpa checks in with us every three months or so. If he finds out we left and went pirating he'll probably kill us," Ace replies reluctantly.

"I hope he kills us sooner, rather than later. I don't wanna deal with the Fist of Love when he's _actually_ angry with us. His normal level is bad enough," Luffy says, looking queasy.

Samson has no idea what the 'Fist of Love' is, and to be frank he doesn't want to (he has a feeling it will probably have some bizarre explanation, like most things involving the brothers do). What's more interesting is their blatant fear of the man.

"He's a strict guy then?" Johnson asks.

Luffy nods fervently. "He wants us to become strong marines like him."

"If we don't get back in time—" Ace swallows. "He'll probably bring us to a base so he can monitor us."

"Marines?" Johnson poorly holds back a laugh. Samson sees the incredulity mirrored in his eyes. The two brothers are pirates, straight to the bone. He can't even picture them in marine uniforms.

"He must be strong if you two monsters are afraid of him," Samson says bluntly.

"Oh yeah. He's strong alright."

Johnson startles Samson by bursting into a sudden fit of hearty laughter.

"You two ran away from home then?" Johnson asks, water at the edge of his eyes, and Samson realizes what he finds so funny. Ace and Luffy have run away from their guardian and are panicking about imminent punishment and it's just so _normal_ that, coming from them, it's downright bizarre. He can't stop from chuckling too.

Ace and Luffy look towards each other and blink.

"I guess we did . . . huh."

Luffy starts giggling, and Ace smiles amusedly at him. "I never thought of it that way. It's pretty funny! We sound like two little kids running away from home."

"You are." Samson's voice is dry. Luffy and Ace exchange looks before the whole cabin is ringing with their bright, contagious laughter.

As the lighthearted moment calms, Samson decides to try and get more information from them. This is the first time that any of them have heard anything remotely personal about the two, and he's hoping to keep the ball rolling.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask," Samson begins, "Why did you say that you didn't set out to be pirates? You two are going to one day, right?"

"Yeah, when I turn seventeen I'll set sail for real and find something important." Ace's smile is mysterious, and Samson can't help but wonder what that important thing is.

"And when _I_ turn seventeen I'll set out to see the world and gather the best crew in all the oceans and have tons of adventures!" Luffy boasts.

Samson and Johnson blink.

"You two aren't going to sail together?" Johnson asks. Samson understands the confusion perfectly. He can hardly fathom seeing one without the other. The two men must have misunderstood something because the brothers are beyond attached. The memory of Ace's haunted look and terrible cries when he almost lost Luffy, and the words Johnson told him the older boy had said—

Unaware of his inner conflict, Ace answers lightly.

"No, there's no way we could share captaincy. Besides, our goals aren't exactly aligned."

"You two are sharing captaincy right now!" Johnson points out.

Ace's face screws up like he's resisting rolling his eyes, but Luffy lacks his brother's restraint.

"Well yeah, 'cause we're running errands, not trying to be pirates and make names for ourselves," Luffy points out with a 'duh' quality to his voice.

"Besides, like I said, our goals don't really match up completely." Ace has a small accepting smile on his face and Luffy's grin is unexpectedly soft.

"We'll always be with each other though." Luffy exhales.

"Always."

"Besides, I know I'll meet Ace on the sea again someday."

"You bet, little brother."

And despite how inconceivably large the ocean is, Samson knows without a doubt that they will somehow find each other again on her waters.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to take anything else?" Johnson asks. He's sailed beside them for three months, but their lack of interest in treasure still phases him considerably. Right now, Luffy and Ace are transferring their meagre possessions off the ship and into a rowboat. Between their hats and a few changes of clothes, the brothers really don't have much of anything. Ace has a very expensive piece of paper, and Luffy collected a spyglass on one of their strange island escapades. It seems . . . inadequate, so despite their original deal, Johnson offers the boys a portion of the treasure. They can afford a bit of loss, after all. Because by the end of this three month stint, they have come to possess over 1.5 million Beri. Johnson and his crew are still a little dazed by Louis, their appraiser's, final number.

At the offer, Luffy opens his mouth and asks for food instead. Ace has to pry his brother away from the fridge, reminding him that they're about to return home so they don't need any of the food. Only Ace's long lists of animals they can eat on their home island makes Luffy release his grip. By this point, all passersby just smile and shake their heads.

Now, standing on the railing and looking down at the twelve and fifteen-year-old boys in the small rowboat, the true simplicity of their existence really hits Johnson. They truly, honestly don't need more than this small vessel and its meager contents. It's basically what they left their island with, he understands, and after taking over the mouth of the Grand Line, they've returned to where they started. They refuse Johnson's offer to take them to shore, warning him away with stories of their grandfather, who will be floating around these waters. If Luffy and Ace are afraid of him, Johnson knows to be afraid as well.

"Nah, I think we're good. Thank you, though," Ace replies. "For everything."

And no, that should be Johnson's line.

"Thanks for shanghaiing our ship," he blurts. Ace blinks, before smiling. Luffy starts laughing beside him.

"Sure thing."

The two brothers have changed Johnson's life, and his understanding of what it means to be a pirate. He finds himself sad to say goodbye.

"What'll you do now?" Ace asks curiously. "You're captain now."

Johnson blinks. "I don't know." He almost forgot about that. The ship and all the treasure are under his control now.

"Oh! You should be the Orange-Haired Pirates!" Luffy crows.

"That's stupid," Samson deadpans from beside the first mate.

"I think we all agree, ASL pirates fits." Johnson's words earn him unanimous nods from the other pirates. "Though I still don't know the meaning behind the name."

"It's Ace, Sabo, and Luffy," Ace fills them in.

"Who's Sabo?"

"Our brother." That's all Ace says, lips pressing together tightly, and it answers Johnson's question of where the third brother is. Luffy's gaze is pinned westward, looking longingly beyond the horizon. It drives home how little they know about the boys, because they never knew they suffered from the loss of a brother. Acutely, too, if the look in their eyes is anything to go by.

"We'll carry on, then," Johnson says softly, and the boys smile at him again.

"Goodbye," Ace says.

"Take care," Samson says, voice gruff. Johnson smirks at his fellow crewmate. He does such a bad job of pretending not to care.

"All of you, too. It's been a pleasure." Ace grins before he sits down and starts navigating their little boat away from the _North Eagle._

"Bye Sampan! Bye Johnson!" Luffy cries as they get further and further away.

"That idiot," Samson grunts. Johnson claps his fellow crewmember over the shoulder. Several of the men are sniffling behind him. He's sad too, but Johnson wants to embrace this moment.

"Alright men, set sail to the north! I think shore leave is in order."

A cheer of approval rises from the crew.

"Aye, Captain," Samson says with a wry grin.

Johnson turns away from the brothers and sets his eyes north. They've got the whole world ahead of them.

* * *

Returning to the island is sort of a surreal experience for Ace and Luffy. They find it unexpectedly difficult to adjust to life on solid ground after having spent the past three months as the pirates they know they are, and they find themselves immediately longing to return to sea once more. The countdown to departing into her embrace begins anew.

Their sadness at leaving the sea and the ASL pirates – whom both brothers grew quite fond of – is soothed by Makino and the bandits. They arrive at the mountain hideout and are greeted by sobs of joy from Dadan and the other bandits. It's a nice welcome back, especially when the tears of happiness fade and the smacks and growls reappear. The boys laugh as they duck out of Dadan's grasp, enjoying the familiarity before escaping to the village to visit their adoptive mother.

Makino receives them with tears too, and food, which is nice. She closes the bar early, then sets Luffy and Ace at the counter, laying out a veritable feast as she asks them all about their adventures. Ace is surprised by how much has really happened to them, and both he and Luffy are comfortable and willing to relay their stories to the woman. Ace even tells her about the Mera Mera No Mi. After a demonstration, she warns him to be careful, which is so considerate that Ace smiles.

The visit is cut short by the arrival of Garp.

"Here you are!" he booms as he slams the door open.

Ace and Luffy both jump several feet in the air.

"J-ji-chan," Luffy stutters fearfully. Ace is sweating nervously beside him. They had cut it _close._

"I thought you'd run away on me— instead I find you down here! What did I tell you two about coming back to Fuusha village?!" Garp demands.

And Ace feels dread. So not quite out of the woods. His dread and horror double when, during training, Garp throws Ace into the river and he almost drowns. So much for keeping his Devil's Fruit a secret.

"Where did you get a Devil Fruit?" Garp asks lowly, dangerously, while gripping Ace by the cuff of his shirt.

Ace is still coughing up water, so Luffy takes it upon himself to answer.

"Dadan found it."

Ace continues coughing, even as Garp cracks his knuckles and stomps back to the bandits' hideout.

"Wh-what the hell, Luffy?!" Ace demands, shaking the boy.

"Oops?"

They might be one foster mother short soon.

* * *

The day before Ace leaves two years later is like any other. He and Luffy spar, hunt for food, and visit Makino. She makes them ten pies and twelve kinds of cookies. Twice she starts crying, because in the past seven years, she's grown to be the only person Ace has ever considered a mother, and he's proud to be her son. He hugs her, placing his head over her shoulder. He's taller than her now, after all these years, and it just makes her cry harder. She gives him a new journal (for all his adventures) and a woven bracelet. He cherishes both.

After leaving Makino's, he and Luffy badger the bandits and tease Dadan mercilessly for how sentimental she is despite all her bluster. Her denial as she dabs her eyes with a handkerchief makes everything so much funnier, and Ace makes sure to hug her at least three times. Her responding smacks are suspiciously absent today. Even though they got her into monumental trouble a few years ago, she comes around like she always does because she has such a soft spot for him and Luffy.

Soon it's nighttime. Ace and Luffy go to the treehouse and curl up together as they always do. Ace's grip on his brother is much tighter than usual but neither says anything about it. Instead, they talk about Sabo, and the promises they both made to him. Ace thinks he might try and carry out Sabo's dream this time and write about his great adventures, and Luffy says Ace will be a great writer. He doesn't know about that, but he can assert that the books will be honest.

Luffy's words grow steadily softer and softer until they fade away completely, and the two merely stare at each other. Hours pass, and it's Ace who breaks the silence.

"I'm scared," he admits.

"You'll be fine."

"I know, but what if things don't go the same? What if Whitebeard doesn't offer to be my father again? What if I never even find him—"

"You'll find them. And you'll join your family, your nakama, and you'll protect them."

And Luffy sounds so certain, so assured, so confident in his brother that Ace almost believes he can be capable of all that. He'll try, because Luffy deserves that kind of brother.

"Who's going to protect you, little brother?" Ace asks softly. And he's talking about Garp, and he's talking about the nightmares, and the loneliness, and all the other dark things that they use one another to fight away. Ace will soon be back with his family, but Luffy still has so long until he meets up with his nakama again . . .

Luffy shrugs. "I'll be alright. I'll visit Makino a lot and train so I can beat you the next time we spar."

"That'll never happen, little brother," Ace promises.

There's a beat of silence.

Luffy asks, "Don't ever leave me alone again. I won't . . ."

Ace's heart clenches. He understands so painfully well and with his little brother staring at him with the same intensity and pain he'd seen amid the rubble, chaos, and blood at Marineford, Ace does the only thing he can. He promises.

Luffy's expression slowly fades back into its familiar smile. "Good."

The duo settles in to sleep. Before Ace can drift away, Luffy speaks into the darkness.

"I'll find you, Ace. Always."

Ace smiles.

"I'll be there, little brother."

* * *

Whitebeard stares speculatively at the newest runt to challenge his power. The kid can't be out of his teens, but the strength he wields is completely beyond what someone his age should be capable of. It's actually been a good fight, and that alone is enough to make him curious about the teen. His interest is doubled when the younger captain, bleeding and panting, turns to his men.

"Leave, now!" the teen snaps at his crew. "You don't need to die here today. Go back to your families!"

Ah, that kind of captain, Whitebeard thinks, intrigued. One of honor.

"N-no!" They all gather around him. Whitebeard blinks in surprise. He's never seen that before. Whitebeard knows that he's feared from every corner of the ocean, and finds it unusual that such an average crew is refusing to stand away from their captain.

"Disobeying my orders?" the young captain says dangerously. None of them leave and he lets out a long sigh.

"Well there's nothing for it then."

"You tolerate such insubordination?" Whitebeard asks. The teen turns black eyes on him, looking much older and wiser than his youthful appearance suggests.

"I believe everyone should live a life without regrets," he says.

And there it is— that spark that Whitebeard has seen in all of his sons, the spark of understanding a concept larger than oneself.

"Become my son," he finds himself saying. "Turn away from death today and join my family."

He can tell Vista and Izou are surprised, whereas Marco merely watches on impassively.

Whitebeard looks at the young man before him, taking in his sharp gaze and tense posture.

"Tell me, Shirohige," the freckled man begins after a long pause. "What is a son to you?"

Murmurs break out from the Spade pirates, and he hears a few whispers from his own commanders. Whitebeard has to admit to being momentarily thrown by the profound question.

"A son is that which belongs to a family, that which cannot be thrown away, and that which a father will always protect."

The boy stares long and hard at Whitebeard, dark eyes laced with the promise of danger and battle. Vista's blade clicks open slightly, and Whitebeard feels Marco tense. Before either of them takes action, a wide, easygoing smile spreads over the other captain's face.

"I like that," the teen says simply. The sudden disappearance of the perceptively dangerous man startles many of them. Whitebeard can tell that his grin is genuine though, and seems relatively free.

"Between being captured and working under you, I think I'll pick the latter." His eyes turn to his other men who look startled by the sudden attention. "Do you all agree?" Sounds of assent quickly ring out from the Spades.

Whitebeard admires a captain that considers his crew, and it's clear that the consideration goes both ways, given the way the crew refuses to abandon their captain.

"Very well, then we will accept your kind offer of joining your crew. My name is Ace, it's nice to meet you," Ace says politely with a small bow, belying that moments ago he was threatening, and moments ago he and his crew were almost prisoners on Whitebeard's ship.

"As for family . . ." Ace's eyes drift towards the east before he shakes his head. "Well, that isn't something that can be settled by words alone, don't you agree?"

Whitebeard nods. Agree he does.

"Now then, let's get this all sq—" Ace's next sentence is cut off by a loud snore as he falls to the floor, completely unconscious. Mild alarm sweeps through the Whitebeard pirates, but it's stemmed by the amused and exasperated expressions on the Spade pirates' faces.

"He could have at least lasted until negotiations were complete," one Spade pirate says as he bends over to check on his fallen captain who snores lightly.

"HE FELL ASLEEP?!" most of the Whitebeard pirate's exclaim, sans Marco, Izou, and their captain.

"Yeah, Ace suffers from occasional fits of narcolepsy," the other pirate explains as he tilts the dark haired man's head to examine for any real damage.

"Does this happen often?" Izou asks, expression skeptical.

"Sometimes. I've never seen it happen in battle," he quickly assures the cross dresser. "They rarely last long anyways, he recovers quickly to s—"

"—uared away." Ace stirs blearily and sits up, automatically finishing his sentence as though nothing happened.

"You have to be kidding me . . ." Marco mutters.

Whitebeard feels laughter build in his throat before it spills out in loud, hearty chuckles. His sons quickly follow along, seeing the humor in the situation as they realize that this is their new brother.

Marco sighs but smiles. "You picked another odd one."

Whitebeard responds with a joyful crinkling of his eyes.

"Now then, we will return to the ship. Details can be figured out tomorrow. For now, my sons, we will welcome the Spade pirates into our family." A chorus of excited agreements ring from every corner of the clearing.

"The party is on!" Thatch exclaims, picking up on the enthusiasm.

"Please tell me there will be food," Ace manages to murmur as he finally stands up.

"More than you can handle!" Izou promises with a small smile. For whatever reason it sends the now ex-Spade pirates spiraling into laughter.

"Oh lady, you have no idea," one of them says.

"I AM A MAN!" Izou snaps, drawing his blade.

Ace just starts laughing cheerfully. Food and booze are supplied in plenty, but the newest recruits had also kept their word when they said that the others had no idea what was coming. As Ace casually plows through a truly ungodly amount of food, he falls asleep a total of six times, inciting exclamations of shock among the pirates that are now just meeting their new brothers and laughter among the Spades and the Whitebeard pirates who had already seen it happen once. Even though it's only been a couple hours since they became acquainted, the former captain slides into place in a way that would almost be startling, were it not for his earnest eyes and joyful grin.

As Whitebeard looks on and sees how _naturally_ his newest sons are interacting with everyone he knows unquestionably that he has made an excellent choice picking up Portgas D. Ace and the Spade pirates.

* * *

At the first island they stop at, Marco watches curiously as Ace tucks a little less than half of the Vivre card into an envelope.

"What're you doing with that?" he asks. Ace turns towards him with a mysterious smile.

"Keeping a promise," he replies lightly, but volunteers nothing more; Marco doesn't press.

* * *

Thousands of miles away, Luffy stares ahead, gazing into the whirlpool. There's no guarantee that he'll end up on Alvida's ship again. He might be sailing to his doom. He takes a deep breath and pulls himself into the barrel.

Death or the future. He'll accept either, just as he always has.

* * *

 **.**

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 **Romance Dawn is next! Something you will all find is that I don't have the energy to copy all of the story word for word. I'm just too lazy, so I take bits I like and write about them. The segments may be short like the bits above, but just trust me to take time on the bits that really matter.**

 **As a small preview, the next chapter is very long and productive~**

 **Anyways, thank you all for your continuing support. I'll see you all next week!**


	9. Follow the Sun

**Cheers to Smoochynose, Khrystaline, N Harmonic, of Serendip, bibliophile030, Sea Rover Tactician, Zelga Lim Li, Naron Daylane, Reign of Rayne, Lily Noir, Hahukum Konn, Kokos, dwarfprince, avaiaal, Trainer Azurite, JustHopeForHope, Ms . McClue, Yana5, xXxAnimexLoverxXx, chickeyd, angelrider13, Jade, Kiddiluna, Fancyunicorn, N Harmonic [again on 08/30/15], Talon of soaring Eagle, BlackGryphon101, Friendly reader, Rin-s666, TheFLO, Destrark, Nala1220, and bronze andromeda shun!**

 **Y'all are really blowing me away with your response!**

 **Again, too lazy to do a line play-by-play, and most especially a fight play-by-play. So some parts are very similar, and some I skip altogether. Let me know what you think.**

 **Also, I have like NO time to be on this website, so I'm really dipping in and out, no time to read or respond to PMs, sorry. I'll try and keep my updates regular though. :)**

 **Thanks to the wonderful breather, and best wishes to HadenXCharm who is bushed at the moment.**

* * *

 _Chapter 9: Follow the Sun_

* * *

Zoro meets Luffy in the courtyard of a navy base. His first impression of the skinny boy is bad because all he feels is dismissal, and in the future he'll find out how totally, utterly, completely wrong he was. In fact, it may be the wrongest he'll ever be in his life. That doesn't matter at the moment. What does is the idiot with a bursting smile who's approaching the deadly pirate hunter.

The kid then doubles his stupidity when he not only glibly tells a pirate hunter that he's a pirate, but actually asks him to join his crew. The terrified looking pink-haired kid has the right idea, trying to tell the idiot to run away, and to _stop_ trying to get a pirate hunter to join his crew. The moron in the straw hat just grins while effectively batting away the scared boy's attempts to grab his hand.

"You have to, though," he says, in such an assured way that Zoro blinks.

"Why the hell should I, kid?"

"Because I'm going to be King of the Pirates, and I need the best swordsman on my crew."

And Zoro wonders how the hell the kid knew about his goal to be the best in the world. Because it's not just his goal, but his promise to Kuina . . . It will happen one day, but right now he has a lot on the line. He's trying to both save that little girl's life and his own honor, and some weird kid isn't going to make him break his word just because he guessed that Zoro might want to make a name for himself one day. Besides, any idiot who thinks he can be King of the Pirates has more than a few screws loose.

"That dude, the annoying one with the stupid hair, he's not going to keep his promise," straw hat boy comments off handedly, as though reading his thoughts.

"What the hell do you know about it?" Zoro grits out.

"Only that he's a dishonorable guy. Why d'you expect him to keep his word?"

Fair point. The daddy's boy with the stupid hair seemed plenty disingenuous. But Zoro doesn't see why he should trust this runt over him.

"I'm not just going to leave because a stranger says he's a liar."

The kid tilts his head.

"I'm Luffy. Monkey D. Luffy. And you're Zoro. I don't see why we're strangers."

"I just met you, you idiot! We're still strangers."

"Seriously Luffy, let's get out of here!" the other boy with glasses pleads.

"Nope. Not until he agrees to become my crewmember."

"You'll be waiting forever, kid. Now go away."

"No."

Zoro opens his mouth to cuss the kid off when he spots motion from the periphery. Looking over he sees the small figure of the little girl from the shop closing in. She clutches something tightly to her chest.

"Hi!" she greets, smile wide. "I made you some rice balls."

She extends her hands and he sees two lumpy rice balls. Shit. Zoro's touched. He actually is, but this little girl is going to end up very dead if that annoying daddy's boy gets wind of this—

And speak of the devil, the pansy is walking towards him. Predictably, two marine footman flank him on either side, guns on full display.

"Roronoa Zoro." The daddy's boy grins. "You're doing well."

Zoro can't help the growl that escapes his lips. Oh how he'd love to beat the ever loving shit out of this guy.

"What do you want?" he says instead.

"Just checking to see how my favorite prisoner is doing. You are pretty popular today, aren't you?"

Dread settles in Zoro's stomach as he realizes that the little shop girl is still here, and he can't do anything if the fucker decides to harm her. From the side, the idiot and his pink haired friend watch on, the former seeming mildly uninterested, the latter growing ever more anxious.

"Ooh, rice balls!" With a quick swipe of the hand, the daddy's boy snags one of the rice balls and starts chewing it. Seconds later he spits it out.

"They're sweet! How disgusting!"

"They aren't for you!" the shop girl shouts back.

"Such insolence!" pansy boy accuses. He then digs out a small rolled up piece of paper which he spreads out and reads with great delight.

"Any persons found helping a criminal shall hence be executed. Daddy signed this into law just this morning." He turns and points towards one of the navy officers. "You! Throw this little girl over the wall."

"B-but sir—"

"Are you questioning me?! I'll be sure to tell my father what happened today," he threatens.

"N-no, sorry Sir, there's no need for that." He approaches the little girl only to be stopped by a firm hand on his forearm.

"No."

Idiot boy has just placed himself in the middle of a mess and Zoro has no doubt it won't end well. But Zoro is grateful he's doing something, because Zoro's weak, and hungry, and he can only strain against the rope binding him to the cross.

"Fuck," he utters under his breath, because he's so pathetic. Looking back up, he sees the straw hat kid staring down the daddy's boy, and then he feels _something_ settling in the air. A pressure that builds along the edge of his skin, setting his hair on end. It's a ghost of a sensation, and yet it's almost overwhelming. Whatever it is, it seems to be coming from the thin boy with the straw hat— _Luffy._

Zoro's eyes dart to the daddy's boy. From the arrogant look on his face, it seems like Zoro is the only one who notices. Maybe it's because of his swordsman training, or just pure instincts, but he knows now to be wary of this person.

"Never mind, shoot this man first," pansy boy says with a wave of his hand. One of the navy men reluctantly pulls his gun to his shoulder, looking as apologetic as he dares.

Zoro waits to see a hint of the power he felt before in the dark haired boy, but nothing appears. Instead, he hears the click of a trigger and traces the path of the bullet straight into the guy's chest. When the path continues on through Luffy's chest, dragging several feet out, Zoro's eyes widen in shock. The bullet then go flying the other direction, grazing the face of pansy boy, who screams in shock.

"What the hell are you kid?" Zoro asks.

"I'm made of rubber," Luffy says, stretching his face into a stupid, exaggerated expression to make the shop girl laugh.

"A Devil's Fruit user!" pansy boy accuses.

"Yeah."

"You almost killed me!"

"Oh. I guess."

"Do you know who my father is? He's Axe-hand Morgan!" pansy boy exclaims.

Luffy stares uninterestedly. "So?"

"He'll kill you when he finds out how you're treating me!"

"Go get him then," Luffy says.

Zoro coughs on nothing, and he hears the navy men and the pink haired boy spluttering in horror. What kind of idiot—

"I will!" With a sniff, pansy boy goes marching towards the fortress, marine footmen following nervously behind. Now it's just him, pink haired boy, Luffy, and the little shop girl.

"You should get out of here," Zoro says softly to the shop girl. He doesn't know exactly what will happen next, but he doesn't want her nearby in case something goes wrong.

She looks about to protest when Luffy grins widely.

"Don't worry. I got it covered." His voice exudes such confidence that Zoro finds himself almost believing. It sufficiently convinces the shop girl who nods before running back to town.

"What are you going to do, Luffy? Axe-hand Morgan is one of the strongest men on the East Blue!" pink-haired kid asks anxiously.

"And?"

"He'll kill you!"

"Will not."

"You're an idiot," Zoro grits out.

"Whad'ya say, feel like taking out the bully in town?" Luffy asks, smile on his face.

Zoro sighs. What has he got to lose? His deal with pansy boy is well and truly fucked, if it was ever a fair vow in the first place, so he may as well go out fighting. Maybe he'll get an opportunity to punch pansy boy's face in.

"Alright," he agrees, and Luffy grins widely in response.

"I don't know why you bother though, another corrupt officer will take Morgan's place."

"Mmm not all marines are evil, right Coby?" Luffy nudges the pink haired boy who's staring back with a flush of admiration on his face.

Zoro rolls his eyes. "Just get me down." No way he's going to face Axe-hand while tied up.

"Alright, you untie him, and I'll get his swords." Luffy nods before darting towards the fortress.

"Oh, that's smart. I guess they wouldn't leave your swords on you, huh?" Coby says, arms buried in knots.

"How will he know where they are?"

"He'll probably just look for an armory or something," Coby replies distractedly.

Zoro sighs. This wasn't exactly how he planned the day to go when he woke from his restless sleep this morning. It's a perfectly fucked up mess. As he hears a clamor rising from the fortress he knows it's gotten even more fucked up in the last thirty seconds.

As the last knot comes untied, a figure slingshots from the building, landing in front of him. It's Luffy. In one hand he holds the unconscious form of pansy boy, and in the other he has all three of Zoro's swords.

"Here," Luffy says, carelessly throwing all three swords towards Zoro, who catches them with ease.

At the feel of their sheathes against his palm, a tenseness he never realized existed relaxes, and even as an intimidating figure arrives on the horizon, Zoro knows he'll make it out of this alive.

* * *

"Whew, that was a good meal," Zoro says leaning back and placing a hand on his stomach. All he wants to do is go take a nap somewhere, but the strange rubber guy from before is sitting across from him, and Zoro's curiosity won't rest. Away from the battle, he's back to the spacey smiley boy Zoro first met, no hint of that ineffable power that saturated the very air around them. Seeing him eat and laugh makes him seem . . . well, not exactly normal (he's beginning to figure out that Luffy doesn't really do normal), but something like it.

"So where are you off to now, Luffy?" Zoro asks.

"I thought we could sort of head north for a while. I don't have a navigator yet, but—"

"Wait, wait, what's with the 'we?' I never said I'd join," Zoro corrects.

"Didn't you already agree?"

"No!" he shouts angrily.

"Oh. Well do you want to be a member of my crew?"

And Zoro stands there in that moment, feeling an inexplicable weight in his words. The seriousness and heaviness is annoying. So to hell with it.

"Why not. Sure, I'll join your crew."

A large laugh builds in Luffy's chest, filling the room with its merry ring. And Zoro smiles in response. It seems like he'll be living a little more unusually than before for at least a little while.

"So how many members are there in your crew?"

* * *

Zoro sighs as he looks up at the bright sea sun. It's been two weeks since he's joined Luffy's crew (if it can be called that), and he's starting to wonder how exactly this arrangement is going to work out in the long term. Two men can only float around the sea aimlessly for so long. How Luffy has even made it so far without a navigator amazes Zoro. He asks, but the other man just waves his concern off.

" _It'll work out, don't worry."_

 _—_ or so Luffy keeps saying. Zoro wishes he had his captain's assuredness. He has no reason yet to doubt Luffy though, so through the waves and uncertainty, Zoro sails.

* * *

Luffy is cloud watching, pretending it's him and Ace back on Goa, just tracing the white lines of the sky like they used to and coming up with the most fantastic food from the cloud shapes. A shadow interrupts his game, and as he squints up, a wide smirk spreads over his face.

"Luffy, why are you smirking," Zoro asks cautiously.

Last time Luffy tried to get the bird, he had almost been eaten.

That won't happen to him this time. This time he'll get his revenge.

"What are you doing Luffy?" the swordsman asks suspiciously. The mischievous look in his captain's eyes does not bode well for him. Luffy ignores him, instead placing his hat on a nearby barrel and cracks his knuckles.

The young rubber man winds his arm around the top of the mast and angles his body towards the bird.

"Oi, Luffy! Luf—"

Zoro's words are cut off by the whistling of air around Luffy's ears as he shoots to his target.

He pulls his arm back, ready to lay the smack down—

Only for the massive beak to jut forward suddenly, snapping up his head. Were he not rubber, he'd likely be decapitated. As it is, he's left dangling in the air, neck bobbing awkwardly as the bird flaps its wings.

"NOT AGAIN!"

"YOU IDIOT!" the swordsman curses.

"HELP ME ZORO!"

The bird begins heading towards the town. Luffy unhappily lets it go its course. If he hits it, then he'll likely find himself in the sea. Well, it didn't hurt too much the first go around, and this time is no different, though it's a little irritating. At least he'll make good time into the town.

He glances down at the houses and the sight make his throat catch. A familiar orange head is running towards him. He smacks the bird and falls from its grasp, just barely missing the girl as he dismounts.

He turns and stares at her.

"Go get them boss!" she cries before running away.

And it's her, it's Nami. She's here, and wearing the same clothes, and smelling of mikan, and Luffy is momentarily swept away by memories of a different life.

That's when one of the pirate's attacks him with a sideways slash of a sword. After jumping over the movement, Luffy lowers his leg forcefully over the guy's head before moving onto his stunned companion and knocking him out with one punch. Luffy's mind is on other things, other people. He looks towards the roofs, where he can practically feel her.

* * *

She feels his eyes pierce through the roof where she's watching things. Nami ducks and contemplates running, though seeing how quickly he'd dealt with those guys, she has a feeling that if he wanted to, he could knock her out in a second. He doesn't though. He's just watching. There's no question that this guy is strong though. Perhaps he sees something about her he . . . likes _._ If so, then she can manipulate him. He doesn't look too smart anyways. Taking a chance, she hops off the rooftops, landing lightly on her feet.

"Thanks for saving me!" she starts, placing a charming, coy expression on her face. "I would have been in trouble if you hadn't been there to save me."

He keeps staring at her with a serious look on his face as she approaches. She shifts uncomfortably, waiting for him to say something. When he doesn't, she loses her patience.

"What?!" she demands defensively.

Suddenly a wide grin spreads over his face, banishing the solemnity that was there before.

"Nothin,' I was just wondering what you were doing being chased by evil guys. Were you playing tag?"

She giggles nervously. " _Is this guy for real?"_

Aloud she only replies, "Not really. They were after me because I look like an easy target. I really owe you."

"It was nothing," he dismisses easily. She wonders why he bothered helping her, but isn't going to look a horse in the mouth.

"I was wondering, since you're so strong, if you wouldn't mind helping me a little more."

She bends a little to expose her chest to him at a better angle.

His stare is perfectly vacant and she grins inwardly. He's exactly where she wants him.

Then a loud rumble fills the area.

"Mmm, sorry, I'm really hungry. Were you saying something?"

Nami barely resists facepalming. Gritting her teeth, she manages to keep her expression mild.

"After beating up those guys you must be hungry. Why don't you come back to my place? I'll make you a sandwich," she offers. It's also a perfect excuse to get off the streets and away from Buggy's men.

"Food!" He smiles.

Definitely a simple one. She sighs inwardly.

This will be a long day for her, she can already tell.

Nami stares with disgust as her newest acquaintance – Luffy, he told her enthusiastically – puts away ten sandwiches like it's nothing. It's more than a little off-putting, but she keeps her face mild and reminds herself to be nice to this guy. He's going to help her get Buggy's map to the Grand Line, after all.

"So what _were_ you doing? If you weren't playing tag?"

He's nosy, but Nami reminds herself that being kind will get her everywhere with this one. That and food, apparently.

"They were after my money. You know how pirates are."

He nods, smiling again before asking, "Why did you steal all that money, huh?"

She starts coughing on absolutely nothing at the blunt question. So maybe he wasn't as simple as she thought he was . . .

Cutting her losses, she loses her overly pleasant expression and leans back in her chair before answering honestly. "I'm collecting money."

"Why? You don't owe someone do you?"

What a rude guy! She grits her teeth.

"No, I'm doing it for personal reasons."

His face lights right up with so much pure delight it makes her shift away.

"What are they?"

"I'm looking for someone," she says vaguely.

"I see." He hums to himself for a moment before a wide excited grin overtakes his face. "You should join my pirate crew!"

"Why on earth would I do that?!" Pirates aren't the worst scum to walk the earth, but they certainly aren't the best either. Her first encounter with pirates was frankly a little scarring. Arlong left a sour note in the word pirate for a very long time. In her extensive travels, she's met good and bad pirates. She'll wager this guy fits in the former category.

"If you do then we can take you lotsa places so you can find the person you're looking for. And me and my first mate are super strong so we can protect you and stuff if you become our nakama."

She blanches as he throws the word 'nakama' around. She didn't intend to become anyone's 'comrade' but she considers his proposal seriously. This could be very beneficial. This guy might be able to take her different places, for free it looks like. He's also pretty strong. While she can generally fund her way anywhere she wants to go, protection is a different matter, especially consistent protection. It's not like she's weak or anything. Nami thinks she can handle herself pretty well; but this is the East Blue, the weakest of all the seas. If she wants to go to Grand Line, Nami will need a lot of help. She knows better to trust anything blindly, but something about the guy is so unassuming that she finds herself nodding.

"Alright, I'll join your crew, but only temporarily," Nami warns.

"Sure, sure!" Luffy nods eagerly.

"Now that I'm your nakama, you should do me a favor, captain." She bats her eyelashes. "Get rid of the guy that's after me, your nakama."

"Okay!" he chirps.

"Okay?" She's taken aback. "Don't you at least want to know who it is?"

"Mmmm, nope. I can beat 'em."

She finds that in the face of his confidence she can't doubt him.

An hour later, as Luffy absolutely lays the smackdown on Buggy and his men, Nami is overwhelmed with relief that she didn't go through with her secondary plan to tie him up and deliver him to Buggy. She bet on the right horse this time. She grins widely. Maybe being this guy's crewmate wouldn't be so bad. He'll be able to get her places, and beat people up for her too!

Her delight doubles when Zoro the Pirate Hunter appears, turning out to be none other than Luffy's first mate! She has a feeling the rest of his crew are just as strong, wherever they are. Considering how disorganized the captain is, their absence isn't completely surprising.

Luffy pauses mid-punch, holding Buggy's bruised head in one hand, and the clown's torso beneath one sandaled foot.

"What do you want me to do with him, Nami?" he asks.

So perfectly obedient! She covers her glee with a smooth façade.

"I need a map. It's probably on his person."

Luffy blinks before kneeling down besides the torso, and digging through the pockets until he holds up a scroll.

"This it?"

She dashes forward and snatches the paper, pouring over it eagerly. It's just what she needs! A map of the Grand Line! Laughter does escape her lips this time, pouring out in giggles. What a perfect day!

"What is it?" the pirate hunter asks.

She doesn't mind sharing. "It's a map of the Grand Line!"

"So that means you can take us there, right?" Luffy asks excitedly. At her nod, he smiles wider. "Awesome!"

So he's interested in going to the Grand Line? Better and better. She'll be able to take advantage of him and his strength for even longer.

Her mood is slightly soured when she realizes that he and Zoro are the only members of the crew right now, and their 'ship' is a dinghy, smaller than hers. Luffy quickly assures her that they'll get a ship soon (she doesn't see how, considering how much he eats, they must blow through money like it's nothing). The money won't be coming from her stash though. She makes Luffy promise her she can keep her own horde separate. He agrees easily, seeming uninterested in treasure on the whole.

"Oi, Luffy, you forgot this," Zoro says, grabbing something from their dinghy, and throwing it to their captain.

Nami blinks and Luffy's holding a yellow and red straw hat in his hands, grinning widely.

"Thanks Zoro!" He places it on his head.

And Nami can't process it. Because no way— it can't be. But she does some mental math, and he's the right age, and the hat is so distinctive— and then there's his strength— could it be? Only one way to find out.

"It was you! Three years ago, it was you in Cocoyashi!" Nami exclaims, pointing towards him.

Luffy's body goes rigid and when he turns to look at her, his face is indecipherable. Her breath catches at the undeniable proof from his reaction.

"How do you know about that?"

"Everyone was talking about the boy with the straw hat," she manages, dazed by the confirmation.

"Oh." He seems oddly disappointed by something she doesn't fully understand. Luffy shrugs a little.

"Yeah that was me."

And no, he doesn't seem to understand what his actions mean, so she clutches the front of his shirt desperately and pushes the words out.

"You saved my life. You saved my village."

"I did." He nods.

"Why did you do that?"

"Arlong hurt someone I cared about. A nakama. No one gets away with hurting my nakama."

Nami feels stunned that she is now included in that category.

"Well, no matter why you did it, _thank you._ " And the words leave her in an exhale, because she's been waiting years to say them. "I've been looking for you all over the seas. I can't believe I found you."

And she looks at him now with reverence, because she found him, she _found_ him. And he saved her again.

"Why were you looking for me?" He tilts his head.

"To thank you."

"Oh . . ." There's a short pause. "Okay then. You're welcome."

"I'm so glad I found you," she utters honestly.

"Me too!" he chirps, grinning right back.

"What's going on?" Zoro finally asks, utterly lost.

* * *

"And here's where I keep all the treasure I've found." Stolen, liberated, collected, whatever the case may be. Nami has a veritable horde here. She's showing him the inside of her sloop while Zoro catches up on sleep on their dinghy. She has nothing against spending one-on-one time with the savior of her town.

"We can use this room as the treasury for the crew if you want," she offers. Nami doesn't need the money now. Her reason for collecting it is standing on her ship as she speaks, and it's still hard to tear her eyes away from him.

"I thought you wanted to keep the money separate?" Luffy asks, confused.

Nami winces at the memory of how she treated Luffy prior to her realization. Hopefully he doesn't think too badly of her.

"That was before I knew— well . . ."

He blinks as she trails off and Nami feels incredibly stupid all of a sudden. She can barely form a sentence with him here.

"Why're you acting so weird?" Luffy finally asks, point blank.

Nami sighs before sitting on one of the barrels.

"I don't know if you realize how much what you did means to me. You _saved_ me. Before you arrived, Arlong— well, he sort of forced me into service with his crew. He k-killed my adoptive mother, and basically made life a living hell." She shivers from the memory.

"Nami . . ."

"But then you came." Her hands steady. "And I was suddenly free. It means a lot to me. _Thank you."_

"I already said it was fine," Luffy says, frowning lightly. "You don't have to give me your money and stuff."

"Consider it a thank you gift."

"But don't you need it to find that guy?"

Nami blinks before a small laugh escapes her throat. He really has no idea how much he means to her, does he?

"I already found him."

"You did! When! Who was he?!"

"I found him today when he fell from the sky, and saved me from some thugs." She smiles coyly.

There's a long moment of pause before Luffy starts violently and exclaims,

"Was I the one you were looking for?!"

"Yeah, you were." And if Nami's eyes are a little watery with joy, she won't hold it against herself. He seems unsettled by her behavior so she wipes the wetness away and smiles brightly.

"I was the reason you were gathering money and stuff?"

"Yeah. Now I don't really need it, you know? So it can be the crew's funds, if you want."

Luffy shakes his head violently. "The money's yours. I would _never_ separate you from your money."

She blinks at his strange response. "Okay?"

"Do you have a dream?" Luffy asks suddenly.

"Well, it was to find you, but now . . ." Huh. She hasn't really thought about what to do now. She wants to keep travelling with him and help him out however she can. But beyond that . . .

"You don't have a dream?" he asks, and there's more weight in his voice than she feels should be. Nami suddenly, inexplicably feels like she's let him down somehow.

"I— well I guess I want to help you navigate the Grand Line. You need someone to do that, right?"

Luffy shakes his head before grabbing her shoulders and staring in her eyes determinedly.

"We're going to find you a new dream, alright Nami?"

And his intensity is so pointed that she lets out a little laugh. Why is he so concerned about her life goals? How can he care so much about her when he just met her, and his impression can't have been a good one. It's nice though, so nice.

"Okay, whatever you want, Captain."

She doesn't think any dream could beat out this one.

* * *

Usopp, their most recent addition, proves to be a jack of many trades. Nami won't admit it aloud, but his variety is rather impressive. From art to loading cannons, he has all of it down. He's much better at drawing than Luffy is, which is good, because now they have a proper ship and a proper flag.

Luffy's even more delighted than Usopp, who glows under Luffy's attention and compliments.

"We can be the Mugiwara pirates!" Luffy exclaims with delight.

"That isn't very threatening," Usopp says uncertainly.

Luffy blinks. "Why would we want to be threatening?"

"Because we're pirates, scourge of the sea, terror of the waters, beware?" Zoro chips in from his place against the mast.

"Huh?"

"Nevermind." Zoro rolls his eyes, making Nami laugh.

In some ways, Nami's expectations for the boy with the straw hat have been completely shot down. And in others, he's better than she could have ever imagined.

He isn't the serious, stoically powerful figure she dreamt up in her childhood.

No, Luffy is bright and charismatic. His smile illuminates the surroundings wherever they are (and since joining Luffy's crew she has found herself in some odd and gross situations). Nami never thought she'd be a member of anyone's crew, but Luffy isn't anyone, so she supposes it's alright. He is incredibly stupid at times though, which makes her want to hit him— not that she ever does. She couldn't bear to physically harm him the way she does other idiotic men. Luffy means so much to her already, and he endears himself further every day. It took her a while to actually relax enough around him to insult him (whenever she does he looks inordinately pleased which is just odd. She wonders if he has a masochistic streak), but now it's almost unnatural how at ease she is with him— with all of their slowly growing crew. Nami's never been so close to so many people. It's nice, though it was definitely awkward at first. But so, so worth it. She's slid into a slot that was made for her, for no other reason than that Luffy has the power to bend the world around them. He _makes_ belonging. And she's never belonged anywhere more.

"The Mugiwara pirates," she murmurs to herself before smiling. It's just as unassuming and peculiar as the person it's coined after. "I like it."

Luffy grins. "See, Nami agrees! It's an awesome name! We'll be the best, most awesomest pirates on the sea!"

"Awesomest isn't a word," Zoro corrects lazily. Luffy continues, unfazed.

"We'll collect four more nakama and together we'll have the most freedom in the world!"

And Nami's mind blanks, because for the first time she understands what Luffy's dream to be Pirate King means— _freedom,_ and that sounds right. After her stint as Arlong's crewmate, she knows the value of the word, and yes, there's nothing else she wants more than to be the freest. As ever, it's Luffy who embodies the sentiment. Her dream now is to make him the freest man in the world. Nothing else seems adequate.

* * *

Usopp squirms uncomfortably in his cot. Trying to sleep somewhere other than his comfortable, familiar bed at home is taking some getting used to – he's been on the ship for three days and he's barely slept at all. It seems like no matter how much he twists and turns he can't find the best position in this new cot. Zoro lets out a small growl from somewhere in the dark, and Usopp's body stills out of self-preservation. The swordsman has no issue groggily rising from his own cot to hiss threatening things into the sniper's ears for being so fidgety. Usopp shudders at the memory, and tries to keep his shifting to a minimum volume.

Inwardly he grumbles. Luffy isn't a window rattler, but it would be a lie to call him a restful sleeper. From muttering to even laughing in his sleep at times, Luffy never seems to slow down. In fact, Luffy seems to be uttering something right now! Zoro never gets mad at Luffy for being a loud sleeper.

Usopp exhales softly and does his best to find the elusive beast that is sleep on a swaying ship. If only Luffy would pipe down, because he's getting pretty loud—

"No! No! Please don't!"

Usopp jerks up at Luffy's cry.

"Shit." Zoro's already out of his cot. In the moonlight, Usopp can see the swordsman kneeling next to Luffy's cot shaking the teen awake. Curious, Usopp stands and goes towards his new captain.

"— so much blood, Zoro," Luffy says to his first mate, voice actually trembling. It makes Usopp pause, because Luffy's a strong guy. Not as strong as the great Usopp-sama, but he was pretty damn close. When the Black Cat pirates attacked the island, Luffy was a one-man wrecking ball. When Captain Kuro appeared, Usopp let Luffy try his hand at beating him, all while overseeing the fight. Kuro got his ass kicked. That's the only way Usopp can think to put it. And he wonders where the hell this teenager came from that grows such strong people, but the thought is a frightening one, so he tucks it away. The recollection of it now only serves to make Luffy's trembling silhouette more discordant.

"Luffy, Luffy, it's fine," Zoro says, voice softer than Usopp has ever heard it. It even seems like the swordsman is rubbing circles on their captain's back if the shadows aren't playing tricks on him.

"I still see it," Luffy utters dazedly. "You forget about how much blood people have in their bodies, sometimes, Zoro. It's a lot. It's so much."

"Luffy—" Zoro exhales

Luffy continues on, ignoring his first mate. "I feel like I'm gonna drown sometimes."

A chill runs over Usopp's body.

"There's no blood here, Luffy." Zoro's voice is firm now. "We're all safe on the boat. You, me, Usopp, and Nami. Tomorrow we're going to find a chef, remember?"

"Yeah . . . he's waiting for us, isn't he?" Luffy asks.

"Definitely. The faster you go to sleep, the sooner you'll meet him."

"Mmmm," Luffy hums. After shifting for a moment, the air is filled with deep breathing and light snoring. Zoro stands from his crouch, and turns his eyes to Usopp. The sniper can feel the gaze, despite the darkness of the room. Without a word, Zoro walks past Usopp, tugging his elbow. The sniper dutifully follows the first mate out of the cabin, shutting the door softly behind him. Zoro leads them to the kitchen. As Usopp sits down at their table, Zoro heads to the cupboards.

"What do you want?" he asks gruffly.

"Hot chocolate," slips past his lips before Usopp can even think about it.

He regrets it immediately, because he's a man of the sea now, a brave warrior, and brave warriors don't run for hot chocolate after a tough night. Before he can scramble and cover up his mistake, Zoro sets the kettle on the burner. The swordsman then goes to the cabinets and digs around for a few moments before finding some whiskey.

The room is filled with awkward silence that leaves Usopp sweating from nervousness. Finally, the water boils, and Zoro taps some hot chocolate mix into a mug and pours the water in before the kettle begins to scream. He places the cup in front of Usopp before sitting across from him, whiskey bottle in hand. He doesn't get a glass for himself, but Usopp didn't expect him to. Zoro avoids getting a glass for booze whenever possible— fewer dishes, he cites whenever Nami gets on him about that.

Usopp looks down at his steaming brown drink and then up at Zoro. He expects a smirk or some kind of judgment for his drink choice, but Zoro appears perfectly neutral. In fact, he doesn't even seem to be looking at Usopp. Instead his gaze is trained out the window.

It suddenly hits Usopp how practiced every bit of this is. Zoro's calm speech and soothing gestures are tailored to calming Luffy down.

"So." Usopp clears his throat. "Does this happen often then?"

Zoro rolls his shoulders. "It depends on what you mean by often. I've only known Luffy for a handful of months now. I'd say it happens once or twice a week. Is that often, do you think?"

Usopp coughs on his hot chocolate scalding his hands. He lets out a moan of pain, but bites down the end of it at Zoro's piercing stare.

"I, um, don't really know." Admittedly, Usopp doesn't have too many nightmares, and the ones he does have usually involve forgetting his pants, not drowning in blood.

"Me neither. He's been doing better recently. In fact, this was one of his milder episodes."

Usopp's mouth falls open. Trembling and rambling on about disturbing things is mild? Usopp doesn't want to know what serious is!

"The first night he had one it scared the shit out of me. We'd only been travelling together for four days, and I suddenly had to deal with _that."_ The first mate nods towards the door before running a hand through his green hair. _"_ I didn't know what to think."

Zoro's being unexpectedly candid. Usopp wonders if it's a sign of how much Luffy's uncharacteristic behavior gets under his skin, or a sign of the alcohol percentage of the whiskey.

"If I'm ever on watch and that happens, just talk to Luffy. Tell him everything's fine, and start talking about tomorrow. That's the fastest way to get him to calm down." Zoro's eyes narrow. "Whatever you do, don't freak out, and _especially_ don't tell Nami."

Usopp nods for lack of anything better to respond with. He feels like he's being briefed for a mission. Hopefully it's one he won't ever have to take on. Because Usopp doesn't think he's strong enough to face that strange version of his new captain. Usopp crosses his fingers and hopes their next crewmember is a man, a strong one to lift the burden from Usopp's shoulders. A thought strikes him and he looks up at Zoro cautiously.

"Do you know why he has them so often?" Usopp asks tentatively.

Zoro sighs. "No. He hasn't said a word on the subject. Wouldn't expect him to. He's too busy adventuring to talk about whatever the hell happened to him. Besides, it's his own business." The warning is clear, but Usopp never had any intention of asking to begin with. Luffy can keep his blood soaked thoughts to himself!

"I _do_ know that something happened to him. Something bad." Zoro takes a long drink. "That's why I can't tell if they're often. Because it all depends on what kind of demons Luffy's hiding in the closet. In my opinion though, it's gotta be some really fucked up shit to make Luffy that messed up."

Usopp doesn't disagree. As he's lying back down in his cot and the room is soaked in hush, Usopp will silently admit to himself that Luffy is the strongest person he's ever met. Anything that makes him tremble is out of Usopp's league.

* * *

Sometimes, their captain will just hold a piece of paper in his hand and stare at it. The small piece of paper moves around on his hand, and Nami thought at first that the wind was pushing it. She realizes eventually that it has nothing to do with the wind at all, and everything to do with the mysterious paper.

Nami asks Luffy on one calm day when he, Zoro, and Usopp are fishing. He looks up at her, hand reaching for the ribbon on his hat where the paper is stored. He pulls it out and all of them stare at it with fascination as it's gently tugged by an invisible force across Luffy's palm. Usopp, who has never seen it before, oohs and ahhs.

She asks him what it's for, and her captain smiles.

"It's so I can always find home."

Nami blinks and Zoro raises an eyebrow. Their captain has not spoken about home the entire time they've been together, which is going on four months now. Then again, neither she nor Zoro speak of home at all either. Usopp is the only one who ever speaks about his past life, and he talks enough for all of them combined (Nami rarely pays it any mind. Who knows if any of it is true anyways).

Still, her captain has never struck her as being homesick. His constant staring at the paper certainly implies that he's at least thinking about it a lot.

"Oh!" Usopp exclaims, pointing at the paper which is suddenly moving in a different direction than before.

Nami frowns. She hasn't changed course. She even checks her compass to be absolutely certain.

"Does your island move or something?" she asks.

"Huh? No. That would be stupid," Luffy replies.

"Then why is the paper moving?"

"Why would it be staying still?" Luffy tilts his head, genuinely curious.

She gives a frustrated sigh. "Never mind."

"Okay!" With one last soft smile towards the paper, it's tucked away into the ribbon of his hat once more. Nami will understand him one day. Maybe, anyways.

* * *

Steam rises from the skillet as lemon slices, bay leaves, wine, and water join the scallops in the pan. Sizzling sounds fill the air, set against a chorus of knives hitting wooden cutting boards. With one hand the sous-chef sets out four clamshells face up, and with the other he sautés the skillet. Once done, he dishes out two scallops in each of the shells before topping it off with a thin sauce.

Sanji exhales a breath as the dish comes together, all the elements working harmoniously to create the perfect bite—

"Any minute now."

Sanji lifts his narrowed eyes and lays them flatly on Pattie, who's impatiently waiting to take the dish out. Pattie's never understood what a dish means, but that isn't all his fault, so Sanji just steps away from the food and waves his hand.

"Don't drop the plates," he says.

Pattie glares, but takes the food away.

Sanji wishes that he could take the dish out himself, but it's been busy, and things are only now slowing down. He's only had one cigarette today, a fact that gnaws greatly at him by this point. He pats his pockets and feels the familiar square of his cigarettes.

"Hey."

Sanji will never admit it, but he jumps about three feet in the air. He whips around and sees a teen with black hair and matching eyes that look especially vacant kneeling on the other side of the counter. Drool is spilling out of his mouth, and his attention wanders from dish to dish to the uncooked meat and then back to Sanji in a cycle.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Sanji frowns.

"Will you make me something to eat?" the teen asks.

"Go out and order something." How did the kid even get in here to begin with?

"I want you to make it," he whines.

"Do I know you?" Sanji asks.

"No yet. I'm Luffy." The teen nods.

"If you don't know me then why do you want me to make it?"

"You're the best, aren't you?" Luffy asks, as though it's obvious. Which it is, but Sanji wonders how this kid knows.

"Yes. Yes I am," the sous-chef acknowledges.

"I'm hungry . . ." Luffy whines again.

Sanji stares at the figure fidgeting on the floor, then sighs when he hears a stomach growl loudly.

"Sit still, will you." And the teen seems to automatically know that Sanji's given in because a wide smile spreads over his face.

"'Kay," he sings.

Sanji reaches for a pan and places it on the still flaming burner. A slab of meat is thrown on and begins searing. Wine joins it next, followed by salt and pepper, and a house seasoning he made this morning. Something simple for the simpleminded teen, Sanji thinks. He starts boiling water and tosses some bowtie noodles in when the water's ready. He begins the sauce in a saucepan while flipping the meat. After fifteen minutes, Sanji pulls the noodles off the burner and strains the pot. He starts chopping the meat into bite sized chunks before adding them to the thickened brown sauce that simmers in a small saucepan. The noodles go on a large plate, and the brown sauce is quickly poured over with a ladle. After cleaning the corners of the dish with a nearby rag, Sanji pushes the dish towards the hungry teen.

"Beef stroganoff," he announces.

"Thanks!" The teen grins before digging in enthusiastically. Sanji is grossed out by the lack of manners Luffy displays, but the teen very clearly enjoys the food so Sanji figures that makes up for it. Pattie enters the kitchen and stares curiously at Luffy. Sanji shrugs. He doesn't understand it either. Mostly he doesn't understand why he didn't just throw the teen out of the kitchen when he first found him, but whatever. He's never been able to turn away someone so blatantly hungry.

"You should join my crew," Luffy says through a mouthful of meat.

Sanji stares at the dark haired teen for a few moments before deadpanning. "No."

"We're going to the Grand Line," Luffy tempts— at least that's what it seems like he's doing. Sanji's heard enough stories to know that the vast majority of those waters are too dangerous for most men. He wonder why the hell that information is supposed to convince him.

"So?" the sous-chef asks.

"So there's this place called the All Blue—"

And that was about the last thing Sanji was expecting to hear.

"What do you know about the All Blue?!" he blurts out.

"Just that it exists, and there's a ton of fish there," Luffy says with a shrug.

" _Every_ fish is there," Sanji corrects automatically. It would be a refreshing change to be meeting someone who also believes in Sanji's dream, were said person not clearly crazy.

"Exactly! Come with me and get there," Luffy says.

"What makes you think that you're going to find it?" Sanji asks.

"Nami is the best navigator in the world."

Sanji doesn't know who that is, but even the best navigators struggle in the Grand Line.

"And?"

"And we have the map of the Grand Line."

Sanji has access to Zeff's journals, but that doesn't arm him to face such troubled waters.

"And?" he asks.

"And I'm going to be King of the Pirates."

Sanji pauses in his inhale. Because Luffy speaks the words like a promise, like how Sanji pushes the legitimacy of the All Blue. And he wants to believe this teen, because before him has manifested all his hopes and dreams as a child, things he still hasn't let go of yet, though he probably should have a long time ago. It's too . . . _good_ , and Sanji finds himself pulling away.

"You're one crazy kid," he says, feeling like he's somehow betrayed himself.

"Hmmmm." Luffy scratches his head.

"What now?"

"I'm trying to figure out how to get you to join my crew," Luffy says frankly.

Sanji snorts, and he can tell from behind that Pattie's chuckling.

"You can't."

"Ah!" Luffy snaps his fingers. "I have Nami!"

"Nami?"

"She's my navigator."

"So you said."

"Well, that's why you should join my crew."

"What?"

"Don't you like girls?"

Sanji grits his teeth as he hears Pattie collapsing into fits of laughter behind him.

"I don't know where you're getting your information from, but you're sorely misinformed if you think I'd leave my job for a woman, no matter how pretty."

Luffy lets out a sigh of disappointment.

"Now get out of this kitchen or I'll throw you out," Sanji says.

"Alright. See you later!" the teen crows before walking out the kitchen door.

"Hopefully not," Sanji mutters to himself.

Sadly, he's wrong, because Luffy makes a menace of himself for a week straight, appearing practically out of nowhere and badgering Sanji so much the cook actually lashes out physically against the teen. Every time, Luffy jumps or ducks out of the way of his powerful kicks, only irking Sanji further.

His crew has also been camping out like he has, claiming a table near the kitchen, making sure that Sanji passes by them every time he goes in and out. Luffy's crew matches his knack for annoying Sanji. First there's a rude swordsman who pisses Sanji off straight from the get-go with his dismissive attitude. Then there's a squirrelly guy with a long nose who lacks tact, rather like Luffy.

The only bright spot to their continued presence on the Baratie is Nami, who is incredibly beautiful. He enjoys the opportunity to lavish his attentions continually on such a pretty woman. She receives it kindly, accepting his drinks and the sweets he makes with love~. The only irritating part is how much attention she rains on her captain. Without him even asking, Nami will split every bit of sweet desert Sanji brings her with Luffy with only a single pleading glance from the captain. She acts somewhat gruffly with him at times, but Sanji knows adoration when he sees it, and he does see it. Nami's beautiful brown eyes seek Luffy out seemingly unconsciously. And it isn't fair that he has such a wonderful woman falling over him. Especially since he clearly doesn't notice the attentions, or return them. Sanji doesn't know what he did to get Nami to look at him that way, but it can't have been something that great.

Nami's misplaced love doesn't deter Sanji— instead he sees it as a challenge, to show her that she deserves more.

It seems like he'll have time to prove this to her, because Luffy refuses to leave, and Zeff won't let Sanji kick out a paying customer.

In fact when Sanji tells his father figure about the strange captain and his lofty goals, Zeff chuckles and says, "You should accept that kid's offer. He's the first person I've met who's as crazy as you are."

"Shut up you shitty geezer!" is Sanji's only reply to that.

Because he doesn't fit in with that odd ragtag group of people.

It's around the time he thinks that, when Jin appears on the Baratie's doorsteps.

Everything goes to hell after that.

Don Krieg, with his disgusting treatment of his crewmates and disrespect for food, pisses Sanji off beyond words. Sanji will die before conceding the Baratie to that bastard.

To make things more bizarre and complicated, Hawkeye Mihawk appears. One of the warlords of the Grand Line shows up on a single rowboat in the East Blue. Luffy's green haired crewmate proceeds to challenge the man who single-handedly sunk an armada.

Sanji stands by and watches the whole battle, short as it is. When Nami shudders and allows a few tears to escape her eyes, Sanji's there to wrap his suit jacket around her shoulders and comfort her.

To punctuate the insanity of it all, the green haired swordsman, split open from shoulder to opposite hip, proceeds to pledge himself to his captain, vowing to never lose again. The intensity of it all makes Sanji avert his eyes. After which, there's a tense conversation that happens between Luffy and Hawkeye that seems to take place via stares rather than words. Whatever Hawkeye gleans from Luffy, it draws up an unsettling smile on the warlord's face.

"I look forward to meeting you in the New World."

And with those words the powerhouse drifts away like a ghost across the waters. Nami shrugs off his jacket to go and help the damaged swordsman. Sanji watches the tightknit group operate, gravitating around each other, and distantly wonders what that's like. He turns away from it. He has more pressing matters to deal with— like Kreig.

The Baratie is armed to the teeth, cannons prepped, and every man in battle mode. Of the chefs, Sanji is the strongest aside from Zeff, so when Pearl appears and starts dealing damage to the ship, Sanji takes it upon himself to dispose of the guy. He takes more of a beating than he should have, because Sanji knows he's stronger than that, and he needs his strength for Krieg, who's in perfect shape.

He doesn't have to fight the man in the end, because Luffy places a hand on Sanji's shoulder and moves past, a promise in his eyes. Sanji can only watch the ensuing battle with wide eyes, because Luffy is indescribably strong, and as he beats Krieg up, he drills him with his words. And Luffy speaks about nakama with a weight to the word that Sanji never knew existed, and the fact Luffy's trying to get him to become one of his nakama suddenly hits Sanji. It's not a glib request, it's a vow.

So when Luffy falls in the water, Sanji finds himself dashing forward and diving into the sea without a second thought. Because he knows now that this person is precious.

Luffy coughs up the sea water weakly, but despite that, when he sees Sanji hovering above him nervously, a wide smile spreads over his face.

"Come find the All Blue," escapes his scratchy throat.

And Sanji finally utters,

"Okay."

* * *

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **Wasn't that hella productive?**

 **Let me know what you thought about the snippets. :) Also Sanji is sort of my favorite character to have interact with Luffy, so expect more of his POV.**

 **Best wishes, I've gotta run!**


	10. I've Got a Feeling

**Hi.**

 **MASSIVE thanks to: N Harmonic, DrunkTitan, dwarfprince, ovan963, Faia Sakura, of Serendip, Narya Anima, kazers, Catflower Queen, iluvstorys, Jisca, Naron Daylane, Sea Rover Tactician, BeASlumberingDragon [8 reviews (holy shit)], Zelga Lim Li, Kokos, Yana5, Nala1220, Hahukum Konn, skywright, Fenrir's Phantom, bronze andromeda shun, xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx, angelrider13, Dr. Blueneck, Jade, bibliophile030, PsychoRien, Ms . McClue, Ecarlates, Rainbowpanther, dinnil, NotSoSlimSh4dy, Trich, LittleChomper, Divine-Faithborn, Chitzuki Kurenai, Rin-s666, That Random Guy, Chamsin, peppymint, lany-chan, and Guest (9/10/15)!**

 **I can't even.**

 **Well, I'm very very glad you all were okay (and seemed to like) the treatment I gave the opening arc. Because it's going to continue for the most part. My laziness persists. Also, if you feel like I'm skipping a bunch of really important scenes, I intend to address some of them later on. So don't fret. Also, Nami's development will become more clear as time goes on. I want y'all to know that there won't be any romance though. This fic is about family, adventure, humor, and angst.**

 **Also, this is pretty funny/interesting to me, but Talon of soaring Eagle and LittleChomper both told me that Sampan apparently means boat in Malay. Unexpected and neat. (That detail is applicable to CH 8.)**

 **Thanks go out to breather, my wonderful beta!**

* * *

 _Chapter 10: I've Got a Feeling_

* * *

Saying goodbye to Zeff and everyone else is emotionally draining. Sanji is leaving the closest thing he's had to a home, and sailing into the unknown future. It's frightening and exciting at the same time. Especially considering the company he's now keeping. Usopp is still squirrelly, but Sanji finds his flexibility to be impressive, even though he doesn't say it. Zoro and he don't get along, as he predicted, but that's alright, because Sanji has _Nami_ in all her perfection. He gets to serve this lovely being every day, cook to his heart's content, and see the world. And in the night, when he's keeping watch in the crow's nest, Luffy climbs up and asks him about the All Blue. It's— more than Sanji ever expected to get out of life.

Bit by bit, Sanji comes to understand his eccentric captain more and more, and how special he really is. Usopp tells him the story of how Luffy saved his village and Kaya, who is the only thing Usopp speaks about with soft, genuine tones. Zoro's relationship with Luffy remains a mystery, but Sanji doesn't ask in the first place. Luffy and Zoro have a strange connection as captain and first mate that Sanji can't even begin to understand. He hears from Nami, in short sentences, about how the boy with the straw hat freed her from her childhood slavery. Nami's intense love for their captain isn't as inexplicable, because who else can say they've ever done the same— at a startlingly young age at that. Sanji will still persevere and shower her with affection, but he now understands how their captain is deserving of that attention. The chef hasn't been sailing under the teen captain for very long but he soon realizes that there is no chance at understanding him, not wholly. Every day there's a new facet, random phrase, or sudden burst of strong emotion. Sometimes all three, and those are the busiest days.

He thinks the most informative quirk is how Luffy runs his ship. When faced with a storm, instead of standing at the wheel and ordering his crew, Luffy hands the reins off to Nami. Luffy does the grunt work along with Sanji, Usopp, and the swordsman. When they're looking for places to fish, Luffy lets Usopp take the wheel, and even indulges the sniper in all of his self-boasting. Never has Sanji caught Luffy delivering an order, or exercising his captain status at all. He sleeps in the men's room, like the rest of them, pulls his weight as a crewmember— it really impresses Sanji. Because Luffy never has to order them, instead they follow his subtle desires, echoed in his posture and tone. Sanji knows this to be true, because two weeks after joining the crew, he finds himself reading these invisible signs when he's deciding what to cook.

All of these things explain why he isn't surprised how Luffy steers the ship.

"So, where would you like to go, Captain?" Nami asks one afternoon, spreading out the map. "There are a few different ways we can get to the Grand Line from here—"

"You pick!" Luffy crows

Nami sighs. "Won't you even look?"

"Mmmmm nope! I don't want to know." Luffy grins widely. "It'll be a mystery trip with lots of mystery islands. I can't wait. So plot away!"

Such a careless way of life . . . Sanji looks forward to every second with anticipation.

* * *

Luffy sits in the crow's nest, enjoying the clear view of the starlit sky. The sky in the Grand Line looks different to Luffy in a way he can't explain— the stars gleam brighter here. It's by the starlight that Luffy takes out Ace's Vivre card. He watches it pull across his hand relaxingly. It's whole, wonderfully whole. And things are all going surprisingly well. He has half his crew assembled— something he secretly worried about for some time.

Because Nami could have so easily ended up far away from him. She didn't though, and she sleeps meters away, under the same sky as him, in the same ship. He'd be completely delighted, were it not for the reason behind her presence. She came looking for him. He was actually her _dream._ And that's twelve kinds of wrong. She's supposed to want to chart out the entire world! Her ambition is supposed to be larger than any of them. But she still hasn't claimed that ambition as her own, instead saying she just wants to make him the Pirate King. And that isn't right. She's also really nice to him. He doesn't like it. Because she treats him so differently . . . like he's some kind of hero, and he isn't not really. He's super flawed, and not worth being anyone's dream. But he doesn't have the right words to express his feelings, so he leaves it alone, despite how it niggles at him during the late hours of the night.

The Vivre card changes directions ever so slightly.

Ace . . . Luffy hopes Ace's time is running smoother than Luffy's.

* * *

Ace has to time this perfectly. Because one wrong step and everything will be ruined. This means treating Teach like he isn't a fucking murderer, like he isn't Brutus. With a strength of will he hadn't known he possessed, Ace avoids killing Teach the first time he sees him, but that doesn't stop him from glowering and stewing in his own hatred until he feels nauseas. He doesn't do anything, despite his feelings. Only Marco and Oyaji seem to know the depth of Ace's loathing. Most people just figure that Ace dislikes the other pirate for no unusual reason other than a difference in personalities and beliefs. It's after three months since Ace has joined the crew that Marco invites him to a meeting with Whitebeard the two corner him. Forcing his body to relax, he reluctantly tells him that there's just something he doesn't like about the man, but he can't put it into words. They accept it. Intuition is vital to any pirate's survival, and as such, Marco and Whitebeard take his thoughts under consideration.

Ace often thinks about how to do it. Poisoning Teach wouldn't be impossible. A little cyanide into the disgusting pies Teach so enjoys would do the trick. Or even just cyanide in his water— but the poisoning of a crew member would cause panic among the men. There's a chance he would be found out— or worse, someone else would be wrongly accused.

So Ace forces himself to wait for the same moment. He bides his time, eating, and working alongside a fratriciding fucker. And when the moment comes, a knot that's been there for over ten years finally comes lose in his chest.

He's all but _lived_ for this moment. He's played it out so many times, that he knew how to do it just right. He thought he'd gained control over himself. But when Ace watches Teach standing behind his reliable friend Thatch with a knife, he just snaps.

The next thing he knows, his fist is through Teach's stomach and Thatch is spluttering in surprise. Thatch stared at him with complete shock and betrayal and that _hurts_ Ace so much. It isn't until Thatch hears the distinct clatter of a knife hitting the ground and sees Teach's dagger has slipped from his still half-gripped hand that he understands.

"Hey Thatch, Ace, what's going on yoi? We heard shout—" Marco's gaze lands on the bleeding, still corpse of Marshal Teach. "Ace, what did you do?"

"He didn't . . ." Thatch manages after a moment. He gathers himself before he began talking again.

"Teach was going to kill me?" The words are dazed and questioning.

"What?! Why would he—" Marco cuts himself off. Ace distantly sympathizes.

"For the devil fruit." Ace hisses. The utter loathing in Ace's expression is nearly palpable, and he sees a similar feeling on Marco's face. He can see the thoughts running in his head, knows them intimately from ruminating on them for years— _How dare Teach. What monster would go so far as to kill one of his brother's for a devil fruit? Why? Why wasn't our family worth more to you?_

"Let's talk to Oyaji," Marco says finally, stifling his anger and taking charge. Ace nods tightly. There's protocol to be followed. "I'll get Izou, he can watch over the body to make sure no one gets close while we sort this out. No doubt people will know what happens, but nothing should be said or done without Pops' agreement."

Thankfully, they're on the top deck and it's nighttime, so most of the crew members are sleeping. Izou, Marco, and Thatch are the commanders in charge for the evening. So Ace watches distantly as Marco quickly heads to the main deck to find his fellow commander who's engaged in a conversation with a crewmate. Izou makes eye contact over the crewmate's head and Marco jerks his head to the side. Izou excuses himself from the conversation and allows Marco to wordlessly guide him to the top of the deck.

"What is it, Marco?" Izou asks, as the first commander leads him to the top of the deck where Ace and Thatch wait. The latter has his head buried between his knees, still trembling.

Izou's face blanches. "Is that—" His eyes fly to Ace, noting the blood on his hands and pants.

"Teach tried to kill Thatch for a devil fruit," Marco explains flatly. "Ace intercepted the attempt."

A brief flash of fury glints in the cross dresser's eyes, but Izou recovers himself quickly, settling into a business-like countenance. "Going to report to Oyaji?"

"Yeah. We need someone to watch the body and keep the rest of the crew away."

"Very well." Izou stiffly dips his head.

"Thanks."

The three leave, going below deck. They walk up to the massive doors that lead to their father's room. Marco knocks and after a moment of waiting the trio is called in. Whitebeard sits on the edge of his bed, in his sleeping clothes. Despite the early hours, his eyes are alert, and Ace can see him taking stock of the three of them— Marco's tense posture, Ace's bloody hands, and Thatch's still trembling body.

"What happened?"

"I think Ace would be the best at explaining," Marco says, running a hand through his blond hair.

Whitebeard shifts his gaze to his second commander, noticing the unusually hard glint in his eye.

"Thatch had first watch shift," Ace begins, his voice uncharacteristically mechanic. "I saw Teach leave the bunk. I've never liked Teach, you know this."

"Indeed," Whitebeard acknowledges. Though his expression is smooth, there's a hint of concern in his eyes.

"After a few minutes I decided to follow him. Gut feeling."

Thatch lets out a slightly hysterical laugh. "Good gut feeling."

Whitebeard frowns.

"I walked in right as Teach was pulling back the dagger to stab Thatch." Ace's voice is laced with anger.

"We're pretty sure it was about the devil fruit. Teach has been pretty obsessed with it," Marco puts forth.

Whitebeard's face shadows, and his pupils become pinpricks as sheer fury began rolling off of the captain in waves. His Haki shoots up. Ace and Marco stand their ground, but the barrage of Haki coupled with his shaky adrenaline is enough to make Thatch fall down. Marco is immediately there to pull him up.

"Where is the traitor?!" Whitebeard demands.

"On the first deck. Izou's watching him," Marco says as he supports Thatch.

"Bring him to me. I will show that coward the consequences of betraying family," Whitebeard speaks darkly.

"Too late." Thatch slowly moves away from Marco, standing on his own.

"Ace's reaction was a fist to the gut." Marco's voice is blank. "He's already dead pops."

"I see . . ." His eyes dart to Ace and the blood covering his body.

Ace shows no remorse. "I'll accept any consequences for killing him." He continues after a long pause. "He should have been kept alive so he could pay for his sins by your hand."

"That may be," Whitebeard says. "But it is too late now. No, I won't punish you for your actions. For his crime against his brother, death is the only answer I accept."

The captain slowly rises to his feet.

"Gather all the members onto the deck. We have to make an announcement."

"Of course," Marco says, already heading out the door.

"Ace, escort Thatch to his cot," Whitebeard says.

"Aye."

Ace goes to Thatch and grabs the cook's forearm before leading him out. Thatch is still unsteady, and Ace understands, remembers the feeling, because they're _family_ this isn't supposed to happen—

"I'm glad you had a gut feeling," Thatch says, voice thin.

"Me too." If he had failed, Ace thinks he would have destroyed himself. Because Thatch is precious to him, and Blackbeard has committed to many crimes to live.

"I think I'm good now," Thatch says as they reach his room. Ace nods, but doesn't move. Thatch's very aliveness soothes him more than he can say with words.

"Thank you, Ace," Thatch murmurs.

Ace doesn't say anything, he just clasps a hand on Thatch's shoulder and squeezes. Because he's succeeded, because Thatch is alive, because Blackbeard is dead, because Luffy's friends are safe, because Luffy is safe.

With a lighter soul, he goes to the restroom to wash the blood from his hands.

* * *

Luffy blinks while everyone stares at him with shock. He likely sent Wapool to the East Blue with his punch. He knows the guy won't be coming back . . . if he lived to begin with. Luffy doesn't want to kill people, but it happens on accident. Smacking Wapool into next week is sort of a purposeful accident. He admits to using a bit of armament Haki to get the right spin on Wapool's body, but he doesn't think that should earn him all the stares he's getting from his crew and Wapool's.

"Let's go. Nami needs a doctor," Luffy says, prompting his crew. Vivi actually squeaks when he levels her with his eyes which makes him pout. She shouldn't be scared of him! He jumps down from his place on the railing and promptly marches over and tickles the desert princess.

She nearly collapses she's laughing so hard, which makes Luffy smile.

"Leave Vivi-chan alone! We have to find a doctor!" Sanji shouts.

Vivi's looking irritated and grateful to him and Luffy nods. Mission accomplished. He rockets up to the top of the mast and starts lowering the sails. He has one nakama save, and another to pick up.

Their arrival on Drum Island is as unpleasant as he remembers, unfortunately. Everyone is distrusting and kind of mean. Luffy understands _why,_ but Nami's sick.

Speaking of, he needs to take care of the tense situation before either side starts attacking. Kneeling on the wooden deck of the ship, Luffy uses he politest form of speech Makino ever taught him and he begs for the citizens to let them find Nami a doctor. His language creates a hush in the area, silencing the once electrified bay. It's Dalton who finally speaks up. He haltingly tells them that they have no doctors because of the awful tyrannical ruler, Wapool.

Luffy blinks, before saying, "You mean that guy I just beat up?"

There's a pause before sounds of shock fill the small bay.

"Beat up is kind of an understatement," Sanji murmurs from behind his cigarette.

"Are you serious?!" one man demands, stepping forward.

"Big guy with the jaw thingy? Yup. He's toast."

"I am Vivi Nefertiti, princess of Alabasta, and I witnessed it myself. He isn't lying," Vivi assures.

Exclamations of shock sound around them, before overwhelming joy takes its place. After that, they're welcomed like heroes. Some still doubt them, but most are willing to trust Vivi's word. It's a nice change from last time, as it means all of them are more than willing to help him get Nami to the summit— to a doctor.

* * *

Chopper stares at the two humans from behind the wall. The tall blond one is yelling at the younger dark-haired human. Chopper doesn't understand why he's so upset that the younger saved his life. Speaking of, the dark-haired human, who looks entirely unaffected, leans back and says something glib Chopper doesn't quite catch, earning him a smack over the head from the blond. The blond's actions do not make sense at all to Chopper. Maybe that's why he's watching them curiously. Because he _is_ frightened and distrustful of them— they are humans after all— but the irrationality of the blond's words in the face of the younger's actions gives him pause. Anyone should be glad someone went so far to save their lives. It's the thought that counts, Doctor Hililuk taught him that after he returned from his harrowing trek through the frosty wilderness. It's the love that matters, even if the effort inevitably kills them—

That isn't even the case here. The effort is what saved the blond. The red-haired woman who's suffering from desert fever is just as lucky. It's remarkable to Chopper that anyone, human of otherwise, could climb up a ninety degree angle slope with no gloves in the thick Drum blizzards carrying two people. He managed it though, and further still, he had enough energy to bow his nearly frozen head and beg Chopper and Doctor Kureha to _please_ save his friends.

Even Doctorine was silent for a moment as she processed everything the young boy had done. She then gave a laugh and ordered Chopper to get three beds prepped for their guests.

It's only been two days, but the men are already on their feet, both arguing and shrugging respectively.

Eventually the blond gets fed up with the other teen's responses. He throws his hands up air before pulling out a cigarette and heading out of the room. Chopper immediately scrambles back from his place by entrance way and takes shelter in the shadow of a suit of armor. The blond doesn't even notice him. He's too busy muttering under his breath about 'shitty rubber captains.' Once his words and steps fade away Chopper lets out an exhale of relief. That was close.

"Hi!"

Chopper lets out a cry of surprise and falls backwards on his behind. Flipping himself around quickly, he spies the dark-haired human looking at him with a wide smile. Chopper has _never_ been snuck up on. His hearing is so strong— it just doesn't happen! Perhaps he was too distracted, or his hearing is going, or— it doesn't matter, the human has found him. Chopper quickly stands. In a flash, he moves to the other side of the armor and looks at the human speculatively, preparing to make a break for it if he has to. His actions only incite a chuckle.

"You're really funny!"

Funny. Funny looking. He knows. And he refuses to let it faze him; he's been called worse. Chopper chooses to remain silent. He doesn't want anything to do with this human. Although he hasn't freaked out, asking what Chopper is, he will eventually when he understands— _if_ he understands. Chopper doesn't intend to grant him that opportunity.

"You should join my crew!"

That makes his suspicion drop in favor of surprise and confusion.

"Your pirate crew?"

"Uh-huh! I'm the captain. You should come and be my nakama!"

Oh . . . that isn't a word Chopper hears very often, to be sure. He only knows the meaning from Hililuk's stories. Even then, the concept is hard for him to grasp. As a doctor and a scientist, he wants to know but— he's never wanted or needed them before. He's not going to start now because of some silly, illogical human.

"No." Chopper's response is flat.

"Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Why do you want me to join?!" Chopper asks back. It's supposed to be the doctor's answer, but the teen doesn't seem to take it that way. His face is scrunched up tight, like he's struggling with his words.

"You're Chopper—"

And he doesn't remember when the boy heard his name.

"And you're a doctor—"

He must really be desperate to leave this island if he's asking Chopper, a stranger, and an anomaly to be his doctor. Chopper respects himself too much to allow someone to look at him like a resource. He opens his mouth to tell him off, but his next comment steals the air from his throat.

"And you're a monster. Monsters are the best."

That— it's—

It shouldn't hurt. It isn't new, no, it's all too familiar. So why is water building in his eyes? Why is it that hearing this boy say it with a smile hurts so much? He doesn't know. He doesn't know. But he's in pain, so he runs. Chopper turns and dashes up the stairs, away from the human and his cruel words.

He wants to run to Doctorine, but he knows better. She rarely takes his crying, especially if it's for something that she's soothed and lectured him about so many times— humans are cruel. They don't know any better. They live in ignorance and cause pain to everything around them. It's not him, it's _them_ —It's hard to keep all of that in mind with tears soaking the fur beneath his eyes. He runs and runs until he reaches the top of the castle and goes straight to the edge. He looks out at the snow gently falling now over his island, looks at the area far below them with all the humans in it. There's a reason he lives here, away from them.

"Why'd you run away?"

Again?! He snaps around to the teen who has miraculously followed his path through the winding stairways of the castle to the roof.

"Go away!"

"Not until you become my nakama!"

"You can't—" Chopper struggles because how can he explain to a human what their natural cruelty is?

"Is it because I called you a monster?" the teen asks.

". . . It didn't help," Chopper says flatly.

"Nami keeps telling me it isn't a compliment. Ahh, but she doesn't really get it." The human scratches his head.

"A- a compliment?!" The teen cannot be serious.

"It isn't her fault. Only monsters understand how good it is to be a monster."

Chopper's hackles rise. How dare the human speak for him. "That's not true. That's not true at all. It hurts. You're too strong and you frighten people just from existing! It isn't good!" He's gasping by the end of it. He didn't mean to say nearly that much, but the ignorance in the teen before him, maybe well-intended as it is, still hurts. No human's ever dared to assume what it's like to be him.

"No, you're wrong."

"What?!"

"It's that's all true, then you're not being a monster the right way." He pauses in deep thought.

Chopper is nearly at a loss of words. "What do you—"

The human snaps his fingers suddenly in realization. "That's what a lonely monster does!"

"A lonely monster?" Chopper's brow furrows.

"A lonely monster frightens people and fears their own strength." The teen nods. "A monster with nakama doesn't do that."

"What does he do?" It's both recalcitrant and curious.

"A monster with nakama uses their awesome strength to protect their friends, and isn't so scared of it."

"They still frighten people," Chopper argues.

"Yeah, but a monster with nakama goes back to their ship and finds their crewmates and drinks hot cocoa or booze with them and waits with them while the pain goes away. Then, when the monster feels better, they're ready to laugh with them about it and make it all good again. They know it's stupid. And a monster with nakama will be defended by his nakama when people who don't understand how good it is to be a monster call them that." The teen smiles as he speaks, but Chopper does not reciprocate.

"You don't understand. You can't say these things! You aren't a monster like me!"

"Ohhh." The teen makes a sound of understanding. "I never explained to you, did I?"

"Explain what?" Chopper mutters unhappily.

"I'm a monster too."

"You are not."

"I am." He pulls at his cheek, stretching the material of his body beyond the limits of any of the anatomy Chopper knows. And for a moment, he's stunned, for a moment he feels a spark of kinship. But it vanishes, because it's not the same.

"It's strange, but it's not monstrous. Lots of people are made of different materials because of the Yomi no Mi. That doesn't make them a monster."

"I'm stronger than you are," the teen says off-hand. "I could level this entire plateau."

"Liar."

"It's true."

"Prove it," Chopper challenges.

"I don't think the doctor lady would like that very much." He pauses for a moment. "How about an arm wrestle?"

Chopper narrows his eyes. "I won't hold back."

"Okay. I'll be careful though."

Chopper bristles. With a thought, he changes forms, growing larger and larger until he towers over the teen, arms growing more muscular, and his face and expression harder and stoic. He stares down at the human daringly. He's waiting for a reaction, maybe a hint of fear, or a bewildered look, because this is what really gets people. He's met a couple humans who think his smaller form is cute and charming. When he transforms though, they scream, they react, and they realize he isn't anywhere near normal. The teen before him, however, barely bats an eyelash. His reaction is to _smile._ Anyone should tense, or start, or _something!_ It's natural! But he's looking at Chopper as though he expected it, as though it's a normal occurrence, something he witnesses with great regularity. Perhaps Chopper missed some head damage in his initial survey of the teen. It seems very, very likely.

"You ready?" The dark-haired human sticks out his hand with a challenge in his expression.

Chopper hardens his resolve, and engulfs the smaller hand in his. He was serious about not holding back. If the teen is brain-damaged, that is concerning, but since he's rubber, it's not like he'll get hurt from their arm wrestle.

The teen's smile grows eager. "Count of three. One, two, three!"

Chopper presses against the arm, intent on ending this as quickly as possible— but the teen's hand doesn't budge an inch, it doesn't move a millimeter. Chopper is understandably startled by this, but not as much as he is by the complete lack of strain on the human's face. His arm is flexed, but not trembling under the pounds of pressure Chopper is pushing on him. He lets Chopper struggle for a moment, before slowly and meaningfully moving their hands to his left. Chopper strains and pushes against the movement, but can't stop him, can't halt their progress in the slightest. When they reach a ninety degree angle, Chopper admits defeat and relinquishes his grip.

"Is that a part of your Devil Fruit?" he asks, out of breath from the surprise more than anything else.

"Nope. I've always been like this. I was born with it, I think. I've always had the strength of a monster."

And Chopper can imagine how hard that might be growing up around other kids. He wonders if the human was rejected like he was—

"I could snap my nakama's arms with a high five." The human's expression is serious. "But I don't think about stuff like that. Because Zoro's swords move so fast I could lose a limb and Sanji could kick me into the water and I'd drown." He talks about his death and injury so calmly. "A lot of us are monsters for sure. But we're together. And we trust each other. So we use our strength to help one another and save everyone. That's what monsters with nakama do."

That scenario, that world, is too wonderful for Chopper to imagine with any real consideration. Because the teen _still_ doesn't understand what separates them. He may have proven they're similar, but there's a key difference.

"That doesn't count. You can hide that. I can _never_ hide who I am!" What he is.

"Mmmm, that's true. Which is why it's so much better to be with people who don't want you to hide," the teen answers.

"You shouldn't speak for your crew," Chopper says eventually.

"They'll be surprised. A couple will ask if you're a monster, ask what you are. You'll explain. They'll ask a few more questions, and then we'll have a party because we found another nakama. And it'll be okay. Once they know who you are, see that you're a monster too, they'll nod and pour you some beer. Then Nami and Zoro will have a drinking game. Vivi will watch and smile, Usopp— he's my sharpshooter, tells amazing stories about is conquests on the sea. I'm sure he'll tell some."

"And me?" the physician asks distantly.

"You'll get held by Vivi, and Nami will ask you really nicely about your life and the doctor lady and how you learned to be so good at medical stuff. Usopp will tell you stories. Zoro will probably sleep after he drinks a lot. He'll keep waking up though to argue with Sanji, and Vivi will have to break it up. Later in the night, Nami will talk to you when she's pretty tipsy, give you some advice. Then she'll compliment you and thank you a few times more. And you'll wave it off and say that complimenting you won't make you happy. And I'll just be there and it'll be great."

The way he talks about it is so specific, as though it's already a reality to him. Chopper wants to check him for head damage, for evidence of hallucinogens, anything to explain away the meaningful things he's said so Chopper won't have to think about them, but he can't justify it. The teen's gaze is clear and engaged. His muscle control is unaffected, and he can walk straight (if his mad chase through the castle is a sign of anything). It would make so much sense to explain the picture he's painting as a figment of his damaged brain, something not realistic or even _possible_. But the way he talks about it makes it seem as real as the teen in front of him and Chopper— Chopper is out of arguments. His mind is racing with hope and angst and fear and confusion. He feels like he might explode. Because the human before him has explained and seemingly solved the complicated relationships and burdens in his life with such simple terms he can't grasp their entire meaning. He— he needs to think. He meets the teen's eyes, silently asking for alone time.

His request is either denied or unnoticed, because the human sits on the snowy roof and lays himself down. He doesn't look inclined to move. Chopper could be the one to go, but this is _his_ special thinking spot. Maybe it's stubborn of him, but he refuses to leave so the human can stay. So he stubbornly sits down in the snow and looks out into the gray world.

The teenager is really simple-minded, but what he says makes some sense. If he was the kind of monster that had fellow monsters for friends, he wouldn't fear his power. The dark-haired human has already relaxed Chopper because he doesn't think he could kill him on accident, and it would be hard even if he tried. And so, the teen has no reason to fear him. If his crew is as strong as he is, they won't be afraid either. And then Chopper won't have to be afraid _for_ them. The captain might be exaggerating their strength, but even just having the teen as a companion would be . . . wonderful. Besides, from what he's seen of the human, Chopper feels like a monster crew would be the only ones who could match his frantic pace.

So— so maybe Chopper does want to come along. Maybe he wants to be a monster with nakama. That still doesn't explain why the captain wants him specifically.

It seems too random and too wonderful to happen on its own. This teen can't be as good as he seems. It just isn't natural. So he questions and challenges the good thing that's come into his life.

"You want me because I'm a doctor," he accuses.

"Yes." The teen nods and Chopper thinks his fragile faith in the world has broken.

The captain isn't done speaking though. "'You're a doctor, and it's part of who you are. It's an awesome part, but not the neatest. The whole you, everything is the neatest part. You're funny, and a monster, and I can already picture you in my crew! I want you because I'm going to be pirate king and you'll be my doctor like how Nami is my navigator and Sanji is my chef. It isn't just because you're a doctor, but you are a doctor. It's you. I won't split that. You're a doctor. You're Chopper. It's all you, isn't it? I want you 'cause you're a doctor. I need you because you're Chopper."

Chopper's eyes are blown wide open with shock and disbelief.

"So will you become my doctor? Become my nakama?"

And now Chopper sees that there is no real division between the two.

"I— yes."

His words earn him the brightest, fondest smile he's ever seen.

"Great! Let's go tell the others! I can't wait for you to meet Usopp! You're going to get along so well!" He takes Chopper by the hoof and starts walking to the door on the roof.

The reindeer is so stunned that he doesn't resist the pulling. The teen drags him to Nami's temporary room, chattering the whole time about things Chopper can scarcely comprehend. Inside, they find the navigator, the other blond man, and Doctorine. Chopper suddenly doesn't know what to do. How can he possibly explain this to Doctorine?

The teen doesn't sense his anxiety. Instead, he pushes Chopper towards his friends.

"Sanji, Nami. This is Chopper. He's our newest nakama!"

Nami blinks and smiles.

Sanji's eyes are wide and almost disturbed. "What are you?"

Chopper can't help the defensiveness in his tone. "I ate the Hito Hito no Mi." It seems the doctor will be able to test the veracity of the captain's words sooner rather than later.

"He can grow super big and stuff." The dark-haired teen throws his arms out. "I bet we could have awesome spars, all of us."

After exhaling a cloud of smoke, the blond shakes his head. "Only the strangest for you, huh?" The words are unkind, but all Chopper senses in his tone is warmth. He turns and addresses Chopper now.

"I'm Sanji, the chef on the ship. Do you have any allergies?" he asks seriously.

"No," the doctor says after a moment, startled by the suddenness of the question and his apparent acceptance.

"Alright then. I'll figure out your preferences a little later. You and I are going to spend a lot of time together, I expect."

"Why?" Chopper asks, confused.

"I'm going to trust you to tell me if anyone's deficient in vitamins or whatever else so I can fix their diet. Even if that means putting them on an all veggie plan!" He eyes his captain almost threateningly as he says it.

"You wouldn't!" The dark-haired human gasps.

"Health matters," the blond quips, impassive.

Chopper blinks as a thought strikes him.

"I— I just realized that I don't know your name," he utters dumbly.

Nami slaps a hand over her forehead and Sanji gives a gusty sigh.

"How did you recruit someone without telling them your name?" Nami wonders exasperatedly. "I know it's you we're talking about, but still, this is ridiculous, Captain."

"His persuasive powers are too dangerous. We shouldn't let him talk to other people. They'll get dragged into his madness too." Sanji actually looks concerned.

The dark-haired human —his _captain—_ lets out a loud laugh.

"I'm Luffy! Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be King of the Pirates!"

"Luffy?" Chopper says tentatively, trying it out. And maybe it's just the soft acceptance of all of the individuals in the room, but the name sounds _right_ , like it's something he's been meaning to say his entire life.

So he says it again.

"Luffy."

And Luffy smiles.

* * *

The next day, Chopper leaves the island. He says goodbye to a silent Doctorine, who avoids sentimentality like _Y. pestis_. It hurts, but he understands. Getting over her displeasure will take a while though, to be sure. Once they get off the plateau, Luffy leads their little party to a pirate ship with a sheep on the stern. He formally introduces Chopper to the _Going Merry._ Once on-board, he meets the rest of the crew. They stare and ask what he is, just like he expected. He answers tersely and unsurely. Surprisingly, Nami expands on his brief explanation, drawing the events of his strange circumstances into a story about a person. She must have spoken to Doctorine. The way Nami talks about him makes Chopper want to meet this individual himself . . . He feels startlingly taken care of.

Their intense interest in him fades as Luffy announces a party and— and everything happens just like Luffy said it would. Chopper wonders if he's prophetic, because Vivi holds him, calling him cute, and telling him how grateful she is that he's come along to help her do something that none of them have explained yet. Nami smiles kindly at him, and questions him gently. Usopp tells stories, and they are magnificent. If Chopper had known he was joining a crew with such an esteemed war veteran on board, he would have agreed faster! After a long, drawn out drinking contest, Zoro collapses against one of the barrels of booze, sleeping deeply and soundly in the chaos of the party. Miraculously, he seems to realize when Sanji is being especially over dramatic, and groggily rises to fight him for a few minutes until Vivi separates them. Nami gives Chopper very tipsy advice on pick-pocketing before complimenting him and thanking him, much to his chagrin, because these bastards should know that compliments won't make him happy~. And Luffy is there, all over the place at once.

Chopper believes him now. He believes everything he said. And Chopper wants to be a monster with nakama.

As he accepts those words in his heart, fireworks fill the air. He whips around to face Drum Island and finds sakura trees have bloomed over the plateaus. Tears fill his eyes, for both Doctorine and Hililuk, and for himself. He found a miracle for sure; he found a home.

Luffy takes his hoof and smiles at him like he somehow knows what Choppers thinking.

In case he doesn't, Chopper gives him the widest smile he can manage.

He's found another monster. And suddenly, actually being a monster isn't so terrible after all.

(He's never been glad before, that he ate the Hito Hito no Mi.)

* * *

Luffy sits on the grassy area beneath Nami's mikan trees. If he asks, she'll give him one, but he likes looking at them and smelling them more than eating them. Because Nami doesn't understand she isn't supposed to share her precious fruits with him. He hopes she'll catch on one day. Until then, he'll wait.

That's what he's doing now. They're sailing to Alabasta, where Vivi's country anxiously anticipates her return, and Chopper's first adventure lies. His littlest nakama, Luffy remembers, won't open up to them fully until after he faces death standing beside them.

Drum Island was just the start. Despite the fact the place is covered by snow – which is awesome to play in – Luffy kind of hates that place. Because Nami got sick there, _again._

Luffy frowns as he thinks of how weak Nami looked again. He wishes there was something he could have done to prevent her from getting sick, but illness is something he's never been able to fight away from people. If only he could punch sickness . . .

He frowns even more when he thinks about Sanji's anger. The chef is still angry at Luffy, even two weeks later. It wasn't Luffy's fault! When they were ascending the mountain, Luffy just couldn't let Sanji climb at all. He made his chef cling to his waist as he pulled all three of them up the rocky edge. Yes, it was painful and he almost lost a couple fingers to frostbite, but that's exactly why he couldn't let Sanji go through with it.

"A chef's hands are his life," he'd quoted back at his chef, who'd bristled before mutinously glaring at him. He went along with it (though he tersely cursed him every couple of meters), and everything worked out just fine. Sanji will no doubt wordlessly forgive him sooner or later. He remembers from the past that the chef made amends by cooking a special dessert for him, giving it to him only after the ladies and everyone else went to sleep. Those were the only moments he had Sanji to himself.

This time is a little different. He and his chef talk more often. These moments also happen in the night, where Luffy can corner the chef in the crow's nest and ask about all the different kinds of fish in the All Blue. Luffy regrets not asking his nakama about their dreams more in his first lifetime. These days it's something he relishes, because they _glow_ when they talk about it, and he wonders if anyone has ever truly listened to them before. And if they have, how they could miss the shimmering glitter of dream in their eyes? Obviously he can't talk to Nami about it yet, but he's hoping that any day now she'll find a better dream than him. He encourages her to make maps of all the islands they visit, but she doesn't take much initiative. He reminds himself to stay optimistic, but it's hard when she's so nice to him. Luffy's still weirded out by it.

To be fair though, everyone's a little different so far. Zoro is a bit more serious than he remembers, especially when it comes to battles. Luffy wonders if maybe it has to do with the effortless way Luffy's been finishing off his opponents. Perhaps he should try to ease up, but his enemies make it so _hard_ by sucking so much (why can't they be in the New World already?). Usopp hasn't changed much. His stories, if anything, are more awesome and dramatic than before, with at least twice the explosions! Luffy gets teased by Nami about being gullible, but he doesn't care. True or not, Usopp's stories are amazing! The only weird thing is that when he occasionally wakes up in the morning, sweating from dreams he can never remember in the sunlight, sometimes Usopp will be there, dozing on a chair by his cot. Luffy wonders if this Usopp suffers from insomnia.

The desert princess stares at him more often this time around. He wonders why. He knows that initially he scared her (again, not his fault) because they met right after Luffy and his crew took down a good four dozen Baroque agents. After surveying the total destruction, her friend with the cool hair came clean to them. And now Vivi's here! Maybe he's confused her somehow. Nami says he does that to people pretty often without trying. Chopper is more reserved at this point in their adventure, standing behind corners at times when Zoro and Sanji start fighting or when Nami lectures all of them about being irresponsible. Luffy supposes it's to do with the fact that he didn't have that opportunity to beat up Wapool himself and bond with his nakama over shared wounds, but Usopp and Luffy are slowly pulling the reindeer out to play with them. Luffy knows after Alabasta things will be different. Because as of now, Chopper doesn't know what nakama means. Luffy looks forward to showing his friend.

Luffy's stomach growls and he sighs.

So he manipulated Sanji a little— that's no reason to cut down the meat service on the ship. Luffy pouts as he thinks of it. Sanji will come around eventually, but Luffy just wishes it would happen faster.

The lack of meat hasn't dampened his mood though, because he's one nakama closer to completing his crew. All of them have slid into place, just like before.

In Alabasta he'll find Robin. He can't wait!

* * *

Miss All-Sunday leans against the wooden rail of the boat. She's waiting for its occupants to come back. Crocodile informed her that the princess has been travelling with pirates. Robin harbors no ill-will towards Alabasta, so she figures she can lend them a hand and help them get to the Rain Base. It will make things considerably more interesting as well. Robin enjoys interesting.

She hears them before she sees them because they're so loud. Their arguing and laughter could be heard from a mile away. She sees a blond man, a green haired swordsman, a reindeer, the princess, an orange haired woman and a dark haired teen in a straw hat approaching the ship, teasing one another.

For the sake of drama, Robin waits for a perfect opening in their conversation and smoothly puts in,

"Then I suppose this eternal log pose would not interest you at all."

Everyone whips around, startled, except for the dark haired teen who slowly turns and shows his face to her.

"Robin!" he crows excitably. He stretches his arm to the banister and pulls himself up to the dark haired woman. Robin's mind freezes, because she knows these features, the exact same scar from at least five years ago—

"Luffy-kun?!" she utters in surprise.

"No, no it's just Luffy!" he says, repeating the same words from years before and, by extension, effectively confirming her exclamation.

"Luffy, how do you know Miss All-Sunday?!" Vivi questions, and Robin sees the rest of his crew tense at the revelation of her current identity.

"This is Robin!" he announces, gesturing to the dark haired woman. "Robin, this is my crew, Zoro, Chopper, Nami, Usopp and Sanji! You probably know Vivi, huh?" He punctuates the statement with a laugh.

"Get away from our captain!" the orange haired woman —Nami— demands. "Luffy, come down here!"

"Huh? Why? Robin's not gonna hurt us," Luffy says easily. He dismisses all of their concern and instead turns to her. "So you're going by Every-Friday?" he asks.

"All-Sunday," Vivi corrects him, irritably.

"Why?" Luffy questions before he smacks his fist into his open hand. "Are you in Broken Works?"

All of them are silent for a moment as they tried to interpret what Luffy was trying to say.

"I am a part of Baroque Works," Robin informs him, on her guard. She briefly runs through her escape options, but Luffy's unassuming expression keeps her planted.

"Oh. Is that nice?" he asks. "Do you like it?"

Usopp, Nami, Chopper, and Vivi all facepalm from the question.

"Don't ask our enemies how they are!" Usopp shouts.

"But she isn't out enemy." Luffy pouts as he turns to look back at his crew.

"She just said she was working for Baroque Works, you know, the people who are trying to destroy Vivi's country!" Nami snaps.

"Yeaaah, but I bet she doesn't want to." Luffy smiles at Robin. "Ne, Robin, my offer still stands."

She blinks as she recalls what exactly his offer was. Robin barely resists a choked laugh as she realizes that he has kept his word and found her again. However, she knows she can't accept.

"I'm afraid I have to decline," Robin says politely. "I don't think our goals align."

"They do so!" Luffy calls back. Then, with a glint in his eye that's too . . . _knowing_ for the generally spacy teenager, he says, "We're gonna be the winners, Robin. There's no chance we won't."

Robin glances between the confident expression on Luffy's face and then discreetly at the princess. Luffy was incredibly strong as a twelve year old, who knows how much he's grown since then. If he's honed his Haki, Luffy stands an excellent chance of beating Crocodile. The more she thinks about it, the likelier it seems that Luffy would emerge victorious from that particular scrap. In addition, not only does he have a crew who all seem relatively strong (if the battle stances the blonde and green haired men have slipped into mean anything), but he's aligned himself with the princess. Robin's not surprised. It seems . . . natural for Luffy to be fighting on the side of good. Unfortunately, Robin can't afford to have such altruistic motives when it comes to her actions. Since she was eight, she's always had to consider what's best for her, regardless of 'good' or 'bad'. It's necessary for her very survival.

So she considers the situation. Luffy is undoubtedly going to engage Crocodile in a battle, a battle the former will likely win. With Crocodile down, there's nothing keeping Baroque works together and they'll fall apart. Luffy succeeds in dismantling their entire network with one fight. That still doesn't solve the issue of the impending civil war that's brewing, but perhaps that's where Robin could gain some impetus. If she hands over Mr. 2 to the rebels and forces him to show his talent, she could likely save the country a lot of strife . . . and if she gains leverage on the princess by helping out, she can possibly get to the Poneglyphs without Crocodile.

Is she willing to take that risk though? It's a dangerous conception. All of it hinges on whether Luffy will be able to beat Crocodile. As for that . . . Robin finds she has faith in the boy who selflessly fought off thugs for her all those years ago. She doubts he has much ulterior motive for asking her to join his crew other than a desire to keep a promise made years ago. So Robin thinks she'll take a leap.

Throughout her inner debate, her expression hardly changes temperament. While she thinks, Luffy is berated by just about everyone on his crew for fraternizing with the enemy.

Having reached a conclusion Robin clears her throat, cutting off an insult from Vivi.

"Luffy-kun."

Everyone stops and stares at her.

"If your offer still remains, then I would like to accept."

Luffy's smile grows massive and he jumps into the air with a little cheer.

"What offer?" Nami asks with a sinking look on her face.

"Oh, a long, long time ago I promised Robin that I'd save her a spot on my crew. I did, and she just agreed, so now we have a new nakama!" he crows.

After a few moments of shock there's a chorus of outrage.

"You're kidding!" Nami shouts with shark teeth. "Just like that?!"

"You know that she's probably just acting as a mole for Baroque Works!" Usopp claims.

"We can't trust her Luffy!" Vivi presses.

"Maa, maa, it'll be fine. I know Robin." Luffy grins. "She won't hurt us."

Robin wonders where that extreme confidence comes from, and why he bothers trusting her so much. Five years ago she fed him and walked with him a little, but there's no reason for him to go so far for her.

"Besides," Luffy continues. "Robin has a dream too! She belongs here." Robin's eyes widen as she realizes that he still remembers what he told her all those years ago . . . and seems to take it seriously. His pure and innocent belief in people has survived his transition into adulthood. She's never met anyone quite like him.

"Welcome to the crew Robin!" With that final declaration Luffy picks up the eternal pose and smashes it.

She pauses as she tries to reconcile the strange series of events that have just occurred. This wasn't what she was expecting to happen when she went to scope out the enemy.

"Well, at least Luffy's taking some precaution by breaking the pose. It _was_ from the enemy," Usopp not-so-quietly whispers. Robin hears, and also wonders about that. Right after saying he trusted her, Luffy destroyed the log pose.

Luffy overhears the question though.

"Hmm? I destroyed the log pose because it wouldn't be any fun just to head straight there!" he exclaims.

Usopp and Nami facepalm.

"Never mind," Usopp murmurs. "I give up."

Nami nods along miserably and Robin fails to stifle the small smile that rises to her face.

She has a feeling that her life is about to get a lot more interesting.

* * *

It's mid-morning when Whitebeard hears a knock on his door. He raises his eyes from the paperwork and calls whoever they are in. Ace enters with an unusually tentative look on his face.

"Oyaji," Ace begins, giving his father a rather hesitant glance. "I need to take a few weeks off for personal reasons."

Whitebeard raises a brow. "Personal reasons?"

"Yeah."

Whitebeard laughs. "Pirates don't take time off, that isn't the way this works, as I'm sure you know."

"It's my brother, Pops," Ace says earnestly. "I need to regroup with him and his crew."

Whitebeard files that information away. His surrogate son not only has a relative, but one who's a pirate as well— a captain from the sound of it.

"I was unaware you had a blood brother." It seems unlikely with what he knows about Roger.

"Not brothers by parentage, but some things run thicker than blood," Ace says a little distantly. "But you know that."

"Indeed," Whitebeard agrees. "And this brother of yours, he means a great deal to you?"

"Our bond is my most precious treasure." Ace says the words with a strangely soft smile.

Whitebeard finds himself glancing at his son in mild surprise. Ace never speaks flippantly. Whoever this boy is, he holds a lot of weight in his surrogate son's world.

Whitebeard considers his son's request. To say it's unusual for Ace to ask for something is a massive understatement. Ace is a prime example of being self-sufficient. It's part of why Whitebeard made him a commander so soon after the younger man joined his crew. Ace has experience beyond his years for sailing as well as managing a crew. His physical strength is nothing to dismiss either. Now knowing the control his son has over Armament and Observation Haki, it isn't so surprising that Ace thought he could pose a threat to Whitebeard, one of the four Yonko. Something in his gut tells him that he hasn't seen his son go all out yet, and he will relish that battle when the time comes.

For now, he reexamines Ace. All of the crew has had difficulty reconciling what happened with Teach and Thatch. None more that Ace, who had done the deed himself. Whitebeard occasionally catches his son with a distant, far off look in his eyes. It's only increased in the past weeks. Now Whitebeard figures he knows what that was about; a search for familiarity in a world suddenly spun askew. Seeing the state the entire crew is in, some shore leave may well be in order.

"Very well," Whitebeard says after a pause.

"Thank you." Ace inclines his head slightly.

"Take Marco with you." Whitebeard adds before Ace can leave.

His son hesitates. "Can you really spare another commander?"

"We won't be making any big moves until the unsettlement in the crew has calmed. I can spare a couple commanders for a few weeks. Check in with a Den Den though."

Ace smiles wryly. "Alright. I'll tell him."

"Good." Whitebeard pauses and Ace waits, sensing he had more to say.

"What is the name of your brother?"

The smile that spreads over his son's face seems habitual, a natural reaction to thinking of his brother.

"Monkey D. Luffy."

"Shanks' upstart?"

Ace chuckles a little. "One and the same."

"Monkey D. eh?"

Ace's face turns unexpectedly stoic confirming Whitebeard's suspicions. This Luffy is undeniably related to Monkey D. Dragon.

"The 'Will of D.' lives on," Whitebeard says.

Ace relaxes and smiles. "I'll see you later, Pops,"

"Safe travels, son," Whitebeard bades.

* * *

"So who's this brother of yours, yoi?" Marco asks a few minutes out into the ocean. He's almost a little startled that he's completely forgotten to ask. "He's a pirate, right?"

"Yeah, he's captain of the Straw Hat crew," Ace replies, squinting as he glances at the bright horizon. "Monkey D. Luffy."

Marco blinks. "That rookie from East Blue? Really?"

"Yep!" Ace's smile is bright. Marco inwardly rolls his eyes. He has a feeling that Ace will be doting extra attention to his little brother in the time they spend together. For some reason, he never really took Ace as someone who has such strong bonds to the past. He's always looking forward to the future in a way so unerring that it's almost unsettling. But then again, there is a lot Marco doesn't know about his fellow commander.

"And where are we meeting him?"

"Alabasta."

"That's pretty far down the Grand Line, yoi," Marco comments.

"It shouldn't take us more than three or four days," Ace says idly as he double checks a Vivre card. Marco idly realizes that the card the second commander stares at with such regularity is Ace's brother's card. Then Ace's sentence fully hits Marco.

"Are you kidding? It should take us a week and a half at least!"

"Not if we're riding the fast way."

"You don't mean—"

"Hold onto something Marco." Ace grins wickedly as his lower half dissolves into flames. The next thing Marco knows, they're skidding over the waves, headed on a fast track to Alabasta.

* * *

 **.**

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 **.**

 **You all can guess what's coming next. :D**

 **My favorite part of this chapter was definitely the bit with Chopper. I wrote it much later than the rest of the chapter, but it's the shining piece and one of my favorite moments in this fic so far.**

 **In regards to Ace with Teach, I thought about it, and though killing Teach earlier would have been the most logical choice, Ace didn't want to risk upsetting the balance of his family for the reasons I list above at the time. As for his simple death, I think that there is no way in hell that Teach would survive an encounter with Ace. Ace has had a _lot_ of time to think about it and just wouldn't mess up. So Teach is dead in this fic. End of convo.**

 **Robin joins early. I think it's logical enough. Let me know if you all agree.**

 **Okay, I have a question for all of you:**

 **What is your favorite and least favorite arc?**

 **I ask because breather and I were discussing it. Breather said they dislike Romance Dawns and the Alabasta arc because they're impatient for the Straw Hats to get to the Grand Line. (I also think that those of us who have read time travel stories before get a bit sick of reading the same opening sections word-for-word over and over again. A lot of authors never even get to Water 7, which is sad.)**

 **I personally cannot stand the Skypiea arc. I hate it more than any other arc, including fillers. I just find it really boring is all. And tedious. And terrible. Anyways, I really like the Alabasta arc, the Impel Down arc, and Thriller Bark. ((I used to hate Thriller Bark, but then I did a one-shot for angelrider13's pure and tainted verse (which is wonderful, by the way) and now I love it!))**

 **Anyways, I'm really just curious. This isn't going to be a regular thing, I promise, but I've always wanted to know. There are so many arcs to choose from!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	11. I Want to Tell You

**I am utterly blown away by all of y'alls response. I honestly did not think this fic would get to much popularity (let alone this quickly) because of the OCs, but you proved me wrong. I am amazed and delighted to be so wrong.**

 **Thanks to: Mariachanne, Jisca, Smoochynose, skywright, Yana5, Zelga Lim Li, Divine-Faithborn, Nala1220, dancingjadedragon, Friendly Reader, dwarfprince, Catflower Queen, BeASlumberingDragon, Weird-Sunny-Chan, xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx, duhorcommonsense, Kokos, ovan963, Hahukum Konn, layla-kyoyama, Vuurvlieg, nanigirl15, angelrider13, TheFLO, Kristallos, Balinor88, Guest (09/11/15), Ginshi-chan, of Serendip, Kiddiluna, Dr. Blueneck, Jade, Trich, NotSoSlimSh4dy, Hyde, lany-chan, N Harmonic, dinno [2], Shannon Rei D. Sumner, Rin-s666, Hellofellowhuman, The Mightier Pen, DrunkTitan, AngelAriel3, smore101, atrum nemus, Guest (09/14/15), CrimsonEyedKitsune, Sea Rover Tactician, Cowpog-GreenBean, Talon of soaring Eagle, and OnePieceDoesExist.**

 **Beta-love to the wonderful breather!**

 **Let's go~**

* * *

 _Chapter 11: I Want to Tell You_

* * *

Sanji exhales a cloud of smoke as he stares out the window of the galley. Nami and Vivi are talking with one another beneath Nami's mikan trees. Chopper, Usopp, and Luffy are predictably running around and playing like idiots. Zoro is sitting against the mast, seeming to be napping lightly. But having spent a couple months with the swordsman, Sanji can tell when he's faking sleep. Which he is. The reason why is sitting a few yards away, lounging on a lawn chair and reading a book. Robin's eyes are dutifully glued to the page, putting on a harmless air, but Sanji sees the slightly too-tight grip she has on her book, and he knows she's fully aware of her precarious position on their crew.

Sanji sighs as he puts out his cigarette and picks up his silver serving tray. He's torn between sympathy at how distanced Robin is from them all, and distrust. Seeing as the first mate has the latter covered, Sanji feels comfortable just focusing on the former, so with great flare he swings the door open and dances towards the ladies. He twirls up to Vivi and Nami first and gives them each a chocolate parfait, and they grant him dual smiles so gorgeous that he just wants to immortalize them in stone. He's no sculptor though, so he departs with a dreamy look, before walking over towards Robin.

"A lovely parfait for an even lovelier woman," he says, extending the small plate that holds the glass and spoon towards her. He isn't lying either. Robin is beautiful, and so incredibly womanly.

She blinks in surprise. He's happy to have caught her off guard. Robin graciously accepts his offering after placing her book on a nearby table.

"Thank you," she says smiling.

Sanji bites back his flowing complements, and instead restrains himself to only returning the smile. He wants to ease her into their atmosphere, and she could do with small chat more than compliments.

"I forgot to ask, but do you actually like sweets? Because if not, I have plenty of other things I can make you."

"This is fine, thank you." Another gorgeous smile. His brain is going to fry at this rate if he keeps bottling up all these compliments that fly through his mind.

"It's a hot day today," she comments mildly.

"Alabasta is going to be even worse, I wager." He pulls out a cigarette to soothe his mind. He shouldn't be chain smoking like this, but if he wants to keep calm, it's his only option.

"Oi, Sanji," Luffy whines from behind him. "Make me something too."

"The sweets are for the ladies!" Sanji snaps back. He's lost track of how often they've had this conversation. Despite that, there is a fourth parfait in the galley, because without fail, Nami will always say,

"You can have some of mine, Luffy-kun."

Sanji blinks, because it isn't Nami who says it, but Robin instead. The dark haired woman is smiling genially at their captain, and holding a spoonful of pudding out as an offering.

Luffy immediately slingshots towards the archaeologist, landing in a crouch besides her. With no decorum, he puts his mouth over the spoon, greedily eating Sanji's gift to Robin!

"You shitty rubber captain," Sanji gripes, but no one's paying attention to him. Nami and Vivi are speaking quickly in hushed tones, but Sanji can practically feel the heat Nami directs at their newest crewmember. Chopper tugs at Sanji's pant leg, asking for some sweets too, which Usopp echoes. And the shitty swordsman is poorly containing a laugh. All the while, Robin and Luffy are just talking.

"Don't call me Luffy-kun," their captain protests. "I'm just Luffy."

"Of course, Luffy-kun," she says contrarily, but when she sticks out another spoonful of parfait, Luffy doesn't protest anymore.

Sanji huffs. He hates how much attention the women give the rubber teen. It really isn't fair for someone with no manners to have such good luck with women. Sanji stands a little away and smokes his cigarette irritably.

"Whatcha reading?" Luffy asks Robin between bites.

" _The Princess Bride."_ Robin shows him the cover.

"Oh!" Luffy exclaims. "I've read that before."

Sanji coughs on smoke, Usopp's and Chopper's eyes bulge, and Zoro's neck snaps up with alarm. Nami and Vivi seem to sense the change on the ship so they turn and look curiously at them.

"What is it?" Nami asks.

"Luffy . . . he said . . ." Sanji struggles to put it into sentences.

"I just said that I read _The Princess Bride_ before. It was a cool book." Luffy frowns in bemusement. They might be confusing him, but Sanji wagers he's confusing them so much more.

"As in a book you've read, like actually sat still and looked at the words?" Nami asks slowly.

"Yeah." Luffy tilts his head. "Why're you all staring at me like that?"

"I just didn't expect that." Usopp voices what they're all thinking.

"You just seem like you're too adventurous to spend time reading," Vivi diplomatically adds in.

"Well, I wouldn't have read it if they didn't make me." Luffy's face twists unhappily at the recollection.

"Who made you read?" Chopper asks curiously.

"Ace and Makino."

There's a pause. Sanji's expecting someone to know what's going on, but it's clear from all of their faces that no one understands.

"Ah, Ace. I was going to ask how he's doing." Of all people, it's _Robin_ who actually seems to get it.

"He's doing awesome! He's a commander on Whitebeard's crew right now. I bet he's having all kinds of awesome adventures!" Luffy grins eagerly, as though he hasn't just shocked them again with his casual words. _Everyone_ knows about Whitebeard. He's said to be the strongest man alive. He doesn't run a ship, so much as a fleet. He delegates some of the power and responsibility to some of the strongest powers on the water— his commanders.

While they're all stunned, it's Zoro who has the most violent reaction, visibly starting. "You know one of Whitebeard's commanders?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Why? How?"

"Why wouldn't I know Ace?" And Luffy sounds genuinely curious.

"Luffy, who's Ace?" Nami circumvents any chance for misinterpretation.

"Oh, Ace? He's—"

"Oi! Luffy!"

Luffy's head snaps around so fast his features blur. Sanji turns and stares out into the ocean, where he can see a small boat approaching them very quickly. On it there's two figures, one of which is surrounded by flames. He does a double take.

"My, my," Robin says blandly. "It is true. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear."

Her words are confirmed by Luffy's excited crow.

"Ace!"

"Luffy!"

Their captain doesn't even wait for them to dock on the ship before he's rocketing forward onto the man with dark hair, who has banished the flames, thankfully. His voice is a steady chant of _AceAceAce_ as he clings to the other man's shoulders. Every crew member hurries to the side of the ship, and mostly all of them are stunned

"Luffy," the man, Ace, exhales soothingly. He tries to pull back, but Luffy holds tight. Sanji can see Ace's frown, and that's when he also notices the trembling of Luffy's shoulders. Sanji watches his captain freeze before taking a deep breath. As he does, he turns and Sanji sees a wide smile over his face. Maybe the trembling was a trick of the hot sun . . .

"Luffy." Ace ruffles Luffy's hair, making Sanji's captain laugh and duck away slightly. All of them are glued to the close and casual interaction.

"Ace," Robin begins, addressing her fellow Straw Hat pirates. "Is Luffy-kun's older brother."

"His brother?!" Usopp, Nami, Vivi, and Chopper exclaim in surprise. Sanji's eyes widen.

With Luffy in hand, Ace leaps off his boat and onto the _Going Merry_ in one smooth action. The second person, a blond man, follows. Sanji notes that he's eyeing the two brothers in a similar way as they are: with surprise and a little reservation.

"Luffy," Ace says gently, and the younger of the pair finally disentangles himself. He faces his crew, smiling widely and cheerfully.

"Everyone, this is Ace." He makes a short gesture. "Ace, this is everyone."

"You're terrible at introductions." Ace smirks. He then turns to them and bows at the waist.

"Thank you for taking care of my little brother, I know he can be a handful."

All of them are a little startled by his manners, but they all respond reflexively with echoing bows, like they were all taught at some point in their lives.

"Yes, he is," they all utter aloud in unison.

"But that's alright," Nami chips in, smiling.

Ace then turns to the side and gestures to the blond man.

"This is Marco. He's the first commander of Whitebeard's fleet."

"Cool," Luffy says blandly, in a massive understatement. From behind him, Sanji can feel Zoro's slight tensing.

"It's nice to see you again, Ace-san," Robin says, moving closer to the group. She had been hanging back, maybe out of shyness or uncertainty, Sanji doesn't know, but he's glad to see her step forward.

Ace looks surprised to see her, but smiles widely. "You as well. I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon." Ace addresses this more to Luffy, who lets out a cheerful laugh.

"I only joined his crew a week ago," she divulges. "I was in the area working under other affiliations before."

"She was working for Baroque Works." Nami sniffs.

"Oh." Ace pauses. "Did you like that?"

"So similar!" the Straw Hats yell with shark teeth.

"They're all so funny, right?!" Luffy grins.

Ace only smiles back.

"Ace, I'm going to tell Pops we landed," Marco says, speaking for the first time since coming on board. Though he's been rather quiet, his sharp eyes have been taking stock of everything on the ship. Sanji has no doubt this man could be the first commander of a fleet.

Ace nods in agreement, obviously not wanting to leave his brother's side quite yet, and the first commander walks towards the bow of the ship for a bit of privacy.

"Can I ask why the sudden visit?" Vivi asks delicately. "We're all delighted to meet you, but was there a specific reason you've come out here?"

"I'm just here to check up on my little brother," Ace says, bumping shoulders with Luffy and grinning. The teen glows under the attention. Sanji knows he isn't the only one taken aback by the wideness of Luffy's smiles, the palpable love in his eyes.

"We have to celebrate! Break out the beer!" Luffy announces.

Zoro smirks, completely behind the idea. Nami sighs whereas Robin watches over it all with a pleasant smile.

"Make something awesome, Sanji!" Luffy requests before turning back to his brother. "Let me show you around the ship."

Sanji sighs at the boundless energy, but smiles. Because when Luffy's happy, things are just _better._

Everyone dissolves to help prep for the party. Sanji knows his role and heads starts for the galley, but Zoro stops him with a few quiet words.

"Two Whitebeard commanders on the ship," Zoro utters. "This can't end well."

"They both seem pretty reasonable," Sanji comments. "And polite. Especially Ace."

"It's strange, right?"

"The sea is a mysterious place."

Zoro grins, before seeming to realize what he's doing and turning away.

"Don't you have food to make?" Zoro asks gruffly before leaving.

Sanji rolls up his sleeves. Indeed he does.

* * *

Marco watches the crew disperse as he leans against the railing at the front of the ship. Luffy tugs Ace by the hand towards the trees on deck and motions furiously at them while chattering a mile a minute. Ace smiles and laughs at whatever Luffy's saying. It's impossible to look at them and not think they are brothers.

"Hello?"

Marco turns his attentions back to the mustachioed Den Den Mushi in his hand.

"Pops?"

"Son," Whitebeard greets. "How is the trip going so far?"

"I just met his brother."

There's a pause. "You're in Alabasta already?"

"Ace took the 'fast way' to Alabasta."

Whitebeard lets out a heart chuckle at that. "I see. And how is the younger brother?"

"I don't really know yet . . . but I think Ace has a complex."

When Marco hears resounding laughter from the background on Whitebeard's line, he knows that just about everyone is listening in.

"A brother complex?!" Thatch's wheezing voice manages through fits of giggles. Marco understands, he does, but there's something he doesn't like about the whole thing.

"Oyaji . . ." Marco trails off.

"That's enough everyone. Give me peace," Whitebeard says, and Marco can hear chattering as everyone disperses, giving their father privacy.

"Go on," he urges.

"There's just something about them that makes me uncomfortable." As he speaks, his eyes are drawn to Luffy and Ace who have moved to the crow's nest, hands still linked.

"What is it?"

Marco has been on board for less than ten minutes, but he's seen his fellow commander show new facets already. It shouldn't unsettle Marco, there's nothing insidious or typically discomforting about it all. But there's this strange intensity between the two. It's the smallest things in their closeness. It's the look in Ace's eyes, the utter adoration and delight being with his brother brings. It's the lowered walls that Marco never knew existed in the first place. Ace is never boring, but even for him, this concentrated emotion is anything but typical. Perhaps Marco's misunderstanding. Perhaps it's just a complex. He can't quantify it though, their relationship.

Marco runs a hand through his blond hair. "Ah, I can't put it into words."

"Alright. Let me know when you figure it out."

"Right, I'll check in tomorrow."

"Goodbye, Son."

"See ya, Pops."

Miraculously, in the five minutes it took Marco to place the call, Luffy's crew has spread out blankets on the deck, and barrels of alcohol have been rolled out from the galley. Marco settles himself down against the banister, and watches the impromptu party get into full swing. Marco finds that although he doesn't know anyone except for Ace, he's enjoying himself. All of them ooze friendliness, and although there is a stranger watching on, none of them seem to censor their actions, meaning Marco gets a wonderful view of Luffy shoving chopsticks up his nose. The navigator and swordsman get into a drinking game that both are losing, while the small reindeer watches the long nosed teen tell a grandiose story with wide eyes. Vivi spends her time watching Luffy, and mediating between the tense arguments that suddenly appear without warning between the chef and the swordsman when the former dips out of the galley for a moment. Set a little away from the others is Robin, who leans against the railing and watches them. Marco can tell she's new to the crew, and maybe slightly unwelcome by some members' standards. Not that Luffy seems to sense this; he happily grabs her, draws her close, and swings her around the ship once or twice in a jaunty dance, making the cook react viciously with some well-placed kicks that are swiftly dodged.

Through all of this, Ace sits, watches, and laughs. Neither brother strays very far from one another. Marco notices that Luffy's eyes seek out Ace constantly. They're clearly very close, so it's weird to Marco that he's heard so little (well, nothing actually) about Ace's family until now.

Luffy disappears from the merriment for a moment, and Marco sees Ace look after where his brother went curiously. Luffy comes out of the kitchen. Sanji looks ruffled at this, and his mouth opens to no-doubt tell his captain off, but the unexpected item in the captain's hand stops him.

"Sake?" Ace asks as his brother settles across from him.

"Un!" Luffy grins. "I thought we could share a cup."

Ace's expression goes from surprised to gentle happiness. Marco's brow furrows. "Sounds good to me."

Luffy pulls out three red cups and Ace's smile grows a little sad. His friend's reactions concern him, but Marco stays silent.

"Oi, Luffy, at least bring enough cups for everyone," Sanji says, looking resigned to the fact that his captain has made it into his alcohol stash.

"No way! This is just for me and Ace! You can get your own."

Sanji's face goes red. "How dare you show such bad manners in front of these three lovely ladies!"

Luffy ignores him and begins pouring the sake into the three cups.

"You may want to count more carefully next time, Luffy-kun," Robin smiles.

Once more, Luffy says nothing. Instead he holds his saucer in the air.

"Brothers."

"Brothers." Ace clinks their cups together before he touches his saucer to the third, untouched drink. Luffy copies before, in unison, they knock back the clear liquid.

All of the members of the crew are watching the strange behavior. Marco's eyes narrow at it. Ace is a deliberate man. He wonders . . .

Ace gives his brother a grin, which the other echoes perfectly.

"This is so much better than the stuff you stole from Dadan," Luffy comments as he refills their cups.

Ace snorts. "She has cheap taste."

"Dadan?" Nami asks, making the elder turn towards the rest of the crew.

"Our foster mother . . . ish," Ace amends after a long pause.

"I didn't know you had a foster parent," Nami notes, looking at Luffy with surprise.

"She was a mountain bandit. Gramps sent us to her so that we would become strong marines," Luffy says.

"And to learn social skills, apparently," Ace mutters.

There's silence as everyone tries to process this.

"Clearly it didn't work, yoi." Marco smirks.

"Not at all." Ace grins.

"But he was a man among men," Luffy says, making Ace laugh.

"I thought Dadan was a she?" Vivi's brows knit together.

"She was . . . at least I think so . . ." Ace hesitates.

"He probably was," Luffy adds.

"Where's the variable?" Usopp asks.

"You'd have to meet her to understand," Ace answers, still smiling.

"So she taught you to be pirates?" Chopper asks with wide eyes.

Luffy and Ace exchange looks before bursting out into laughter. Seeing Chopper's hurt expression, Ace is quick to go on.

"She couldn't care less about our desire to be pirates. Dadan was more interested in getting us to do laundry."

"For some reason, I can't picture Luffy doing laundry." Zoro smirks.

"Rightfully so. He was terrible at it."

"You were worse!"

"I never dyed any of the clothes pink!"

"I never started a fire!"

"That was one time." Ace grins. "And what makes you think that wasn't on purpose?"

Luffy's eyes widen in realization before he starts laughing cheerfully.

Marco notes the delight in Ace's eyes as their chatter devolves and he teases and argues pettily with his brother.

"So, Marco, was it?" Zoro begins as everyone returns to their own business. "How long have you been one of Whitebeard's commanders?"

The swordsman and navigator have plowed through at least two bottles of hard liquor between them, but the first mate's eyes are still clear and sharp. Considering how well Luffy and Ace get on, he's a little surprised at the distrust Zoro sends his way, but then again, Whitebeard _is_ the most threatening name on the sea. Besides, he knows well that it is the job of the first mate to always be over cautious, instead of under.

"Over two decades or so now," he answers vaguely. "How long have you been on Luffy's crew? You all are just starting out, right?"

"Yeah, it's been less than half a year."

"That's isn't very long . . . but you've all managed to make a big racket."

Not an overstatement either. The fact that news reached Marco in the Grand Line about the new up and comer from the East Blue says a lot. A one off 50,000,000 bounty was nothing to turn his nose up about. Ace's was a solid 80,000,000 beri (when Marco commented on it once offhand, Ace had shrugged sheepishly and said "I tried to keep it down"). The brothers evidently have strength in common, not just appearances.

But it wasn't just the bounty that had brought Luffy to his attention. When Shanks and Pops met not long ago over gigantic sake cups to talk about the world news, he got to hear all about 'anchor.' The excitement from the red haired pirate was palpable. Looking back, it's strange that Ace never once mentioned his brother during that conversation, although Marco does remember his friend and Akagami having a long chat about something in private. Now he supposes they were likely discussing Luffy. Marco wonders why Ace thought to keep it to himself for so long. Maybe it's just because he's around Luffy, but Marco has learned more about Ace's life in the past few hours than he has in the past few years.

"That's Luffy for you," Zoro says, and he's grinning now. "There's no helping it."

"It would be nice though if we didn't have to look over our shoulders for marines though," the guy with the long nose, Usopp, puts in.

"Can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen," Zoro quips with no bite.

"Wh-what? Me not handle the heat?! I'm the great Usopp-sama! I once slayed an entire army of zombies with a rubber band and a toothpick!"

"Really!? That's so awesome!" Luffy shouts. He and Ace are sitting a little down the rail. From where Marco is sitting, he can still see the stars in his eyes.

Ace pokes his brother's face. "Gullible."

"Am not!"

Marco sees Nami and Vivi smiling at the interaction, just as he is. Somehow their actions are warming, even to outsiders.

"Did you really do that?" Chopper asks with a small hint of doubt.

"Of course!" Usopp asserts. "And after that I faced a horde of veggie-people trying to destroy all the meat monsters on the island!

"You're awesome!" Chopper says with sparkles in his irises.

Usopp nod with confidence. "Exactly, you see what happened was . . ."

Marco smiles as he sees the swordsman shaking his head.

"Dessert anyone?" Sanji says as he comes out from the kitchen. Luffy scrambles up and through the door before the first commander can blink. Marco never saw the cook leave, but stepping into the kitchen, he knows now what the other had been up to. Sanji has been making a veritable plethora of desert items. On the table, there's strawberry shortcake, cheesecake, parfait . . . and several other dishes Marco admits to never seeing before.

"Strawberry parfait, strawberry _mille feuille, Charlotte à la fraise,_ strawberry cheesecake, strawberry _brûlée,_ strawberry _clafoutis,_ chocolate dipped strawberries, _croustade,_ and _financier_ cake with strawberries on the side. Enjoy." He gives a slight bow, mostly directed towards the women.

"This is awesome!" Luffy crows.

"Did you run out of other fruit? That's a lot of strawberries," Zoro says.

Vivi answers. "Alabasta is well known for its berries. Strawberries specifically."

"Hopefully no desert strawberries are in the mix," Zoro grunts.

"Are you accusing my cooking of being poisonous?! Ungrateful bastard!" Sanji growls.

"What was that you stupid cook?" Zoro's hands drift towards his swords.

"I said—" Sanji is cut off by a wandering hand reaching for the cheesecake. He bats it off. "Shitty captain! Women go first!" Sanji attempts to kick his captain away, but Luffy is too quick. He backs off though and pouts.

"So mean!"

Sanji glares warningly at Luffy as he dishes out servings of everything for the women with great flourishing movements.

Marco's a little surprised and amused. Luffy's the captain, so if he wanted he could just order Sanji to let him have the dessert now. Beyond that, it's a little odd for the cook to be treating his captain that way. Looking over at Ace, he sees his friend's expression is perfectly mild, unbothered by the treatment. Marco shrugs inwardly. Who is he to judge their method of operation? He knows plenty of crews with more screwed up dynamics who're all fine sailors. And besides, from what he knows of Ace and Luffy, expecting either of them to be normal is a massive lapse in logic.

He quickly learns the reason behind Sanji's actions, because as soon as Sanji's done serving the ladies and they take a seat at the further down the long table, Luffy leaps and practically attacks the table with a fervor he's only seen from one other person. Said person calmly walks forward and sits beside his brother before slowly sampling from the array of dishes. He has to slap a rubbery hand away every now and then, but other than that, Ace is eating like a normal person. It's truthfully rather disconcerting.

"Here."

Marco turns his attention away from the brothers and sees Sanji standing in front of him with a large plate covered with desserts.

"I worried you might not get any," Sanji explains.

"Thanks." It's actually very considerate of the cook. Marco chooses to move to the counter so he can eat and watch everyone. Sanji comes along as well. The cook's company is appreciated. He's still a little uncertain about talking to some of Luffy's crewmembers, and Sanji seems like a pretty reasonable man . . . for the most part.

Sanji pulls out a cigarette and starts digging for his lighter. "Luffy kind of behaves like a wild animal at times. Sorry about that. I've never been able to kick manners into that kid."

Marco snorts. "That's usually Ace."

Sanji blinks in surprise. "Really? But he's so well-mannered."

"Ace is very polite," Marco says. His friend's formal speech is immaculate, and appropriately bizarre for such an odd man. "His table manners could use some fixing. I'm guessing maybe he's on his best behavior because he wants you all to like him . . . or he's messing with Luffy."

Sanji chuckles at his words. "So maybe they do have a bit more in common than appearance."

"I was thinking the same thing earlier."

Before Sanji can flip open his lighter, the end of his cigarette ignites. They both look up and see Ace, pointing at Sanji's smoldering cigarette with one hand. The others turn at the gesture.

Sanji's visibly surprised, but nods in thanks.

"Is that a Devil's Fruit power?" Nami asks curiously from down the table.

"Yes. I ate the Mera Mera no Mi." He raises a hand and it quickly dissolves into flames.

"So I guess the name fits," Zoro says sardonically.

"Name?" Vivi wonders aloud.

"Hiken no Ace _."_ Marco answers this time

"It sounds more threatening than Mugiwara no Luffy," Usopp says between bites of _mille feuille_.

Luffy replies with something that is likely funny, considering Ace's resounding laughter, but Marco himself can't tell between all the food in the young captain's mouth. He'll admit now that Ace generally (sometimes) has better manners than this.

"Can I ask how long you two are intending to stay?" Sanji asks, exhaling some smoke. "It's not that I don't want you here, but as the cook I need to know if I should by more supplies."

"Oh right. Ace, how long are you staying?" Luffy asks after swallowing his large mouthful of food.

"Three weeks-ish." Ace replies.

Luffy's eyes widen in utter delight and he lets out a small shout of joy. The teen captain looks at his brother like he's a saint.

On the other side of the spectrum, Marco shoots his friend a look. Ace told Oyaji that they'd be back in three weeks. With travel time though, it'll turn out to be more like four. Marco sighs. He supposes he'll just have to report this to Pops, along with stories of Luffy's peculiarities. He knows everyone's itching to hear about what's going on with Ace. It makes sense. After what happened with Teach— well, everyone could do with a little distraction.

Himself included.

As he watches the antics that unfold before him, he knows he's in the right place.

* * *

"That was awesome," Luffy manages.

Usopp fully agrees. Luffy's choice of chef is spot on. It was strange at the time to Usopp, because Luffy entered the Baratie, walked into the kitchen, and knew immediately which cook he wanted. Sanji must have made a good impression. Then again, Usopp knows by this point that Luffy has the most uncanny level of luck in the world.

"I dunno about you, but I'm about ready to sleep," Usopp says.

"Me too." Ace sighs and places a hand on his abs.

Zoro pauses. "We don't have that many spare cots."

"That's okay, I'm using the captain's cabin," Luffy replies.

Usopp and the rest of the Straw Hats exchange surprised looks, because Luffy has absolutely refused to use the cabin the past— viciously even.

"That's unusual, Luffy-kun," Robin comments mildly.

"Ace and I need to catch up. And it's just Luffy."

Usopp supposes it makes sense that they want to have a little privacy while they talk. Between the party and the explanations, Luffy and Ace haven't had very much time to talk one on one.

"Why don't you drop your stuff off at the cabin, Ace, it's that middle door on the top." Luffy gestures to the room. "I'll get my pillows and extra blankets."

"Hold on, you aren't going to sleep together, are you?" Usopp's face flushes a little and he qualifies the statement quickly. "I mean, in the same bed."

"Sure we are," Luffy says, as though it were obvious.

"That's a little odd," Nami admits. Usopp completely agrees. They're practically both full-grown men. Sharing a bed is kind of weird, even if they are brothers . . . But then Usopp remembers the vicious nightmares that wrack Luffy's sleep, and he suddenly finds it hard to judge them anymore. He wonders if Ace knows what happened to Luffy, and if he knows how to calm their captain down.

"We don't sleep apart if we can help it," Ace says coolly. "We spent our childhood sleeping in the same . . . sleeping place," he settles on. Usopp likes the wording. He'll wager the two have slept in some pretty strange places as children.

"Besides, now Marco can have my cot!" Luffy chirps.

"Even better," Ace says, smiling at his brother before bringing his green zebra striped bag up the stairs to the room next to Nami's and Robin's while Luffy runs to the men's sleeping quarters.

Usopp is startled to find he's actually worried to have Luffy sleeping apart from him. Since that first week, Usopp has calmed Luffy down from his nightmares multiple times. The thought of suddenly not being there for him leaves him uncomfortable. From the look on Zoro's face, it seems the swordsman is even more worried . . . not that there's a visible tell aside from a small tightening around the corners of his mouth.

Luffy seems to be excited though, and Usopp takes comfort in that. Ace obviously cares about his little brother. Usopp used to wish he had an older brother sometimes . . . but he was far too busy walking over the corpses of his enemies to really have that much time to think about it.

* * *

Two small flames lite the lamps as Ace walks in and settles his stuff by the dresser in the room. It's a nice room, with two nightstands and a large dresser. Across from the door and the dresser is a large bed, decked out with red blankets and two pillows that look utterly untouched. Most of the room looks that way actually. Ace snorts as he drags a finger over the top of the nightstand. Dusty as an old library. Figures Luffy would never use the room if he could help it. He's incredibly glad for the privacy though. There's so much he needs to tell Luffy. None of it is fit for the ears of anyone else. Speaking of which, Ace sends out a small probe of Observational Haki. He shakes his head and peeks behind the dresser. He finds a hand with an ear in its palm.

"Hello, Robin," he calls. The hand starts before disappearing in a spurt of flower petals.

She's still very paranoid, it seems. Ace isn't surprised. He can sense the distrust in the air around her, mostly doled out by Zoro and Nami. Perhaps how she joined the crew is different this time. It's much earlier, that's for certain. He wonders how Luffy did it. Maybe the meeting on Tohroa altered events more than they predicted. Either way, he's excited to hear about his little brother's adventures.

Speaking of, Luffy slams the door wide open as he enters the room, a pillow in one arm and a blanket wadded under the other. A massive, excited smile is spread over his face, and Ace knows that they won't be getting very much sleep tonight.

Both brothers toe off their shoes. Luffy places his hat on the right nightstand next to the bed before flopping onto the red covers. It takes longer for Ace to divest himself off all his effects. He takes off his belt and knife, arranging both neatly on the left nightstand, before pulling a pair of long sleeping pants from his bag and shucking off his black cargo pants.

Ace copies his brother and climbs on top of the covers. Luffy's pulled the spare blanket with him, which is wise considering what blanket hogs the both of them can be. Ace doubts they'll even use the blankets with the desert heat, but it's still a good idea. Luffy's head is resting on his pillow which, unlike the untouched pillows on the bed, is clearly well-loved. In fact, Ace is relatively certain that there are some drool stains on it, discoloring the pillow cover. With everything taken care of, Ace makes a short gesture, silencing the fires.

Luffy's breathing is slow and deep, but there is nothing relaxed about his eyes which are sharp through the darkness. Ace lowers his head before turning on his side to face his brother. Luffy follows his example, and the two of them are alone with the gentle rocking of the ship, the salty air, and each other.

Luffy breaks the silence. "I'm so glad Ace is here."

"How could I pass up a chance to see my little brother," Ace replies.

The younger of the pair pauses before asking, "Then it's done?"

"It's done. Teach is dead. I killed him with my own two hands."

Luffy trembles at the news and Ace reaches out with one arm to bring his brother closer.

"He'll never hurt anyone. Not Thatch, not Nami, not Sanji, not Brook," Ace says firmly. Not you, he adds on in his mind.

"How did it happen?"

Knowing his brother needs closure, Ace slowly walks through that evening. As he talks about seeing Teach behind Thatch with the knife raised, small fires break out over his shoulders and chest. Before anything can light, Luffy's there, gently patting them out with a Haki-coated hand. Ace takes a deep breath, quelling the fire burning just below his skin. He mechanically explains the action itself, distantly relating the feel of Teach's blood on his hands, and the way the light had disappeared from his eyes. By the end of it, he's the one trembling, and Luffy places a hand over Ace's heart soothingly. His little brother utters soft words that they've both said dozens of times when these dark memories and thoughts creep into each other's minds. Ace feels better, if only because of the familiarity of the sounds and actions. He misses being with Luffy, misses sleeping with him, and, though he's reluctant to admit it, misses being comforted by his little brother. Because Luffy does it in a way no one else in the world could. It's home, it's safety, it's an anchor, it's _Luffy._ He dwells in this wonderful place he previously took for granted on the island for a few minutes. Then he takes a deep breath, and finishes.

"After that, Whitebeard called a stop on all pirating activities while everyone settles down. People are pretty shaken up. None of them ever expected something like this happening."

"Did anyone leave?" Luffy asks.

"Not that I know of. Whitebeard can keep everyone together. He gives them family, something a lot of us have never had." He looks meaningfully at Luffy. "I've had it though. Thankfully."

Luffy lets out a small, quiet laugh.

"Anyways, that's part of the reason why Pops can spare both me and Marco for so long. He's not going to be taking any action for a while."

"That's good. It's good that you're here Ace, so good." Luffy's shoulders shake.

"Luffy?" Ace asks with concern.

"God, Ace, I needed to talk to you so bad." And there's the beginnings of snot, but Ace pulls his brother in close for a hug, petting his hair gently.

"What happened? What's going on?"

"It's Nami," he manages after a moment.

"What's wrong with her?"

"She isn't the same Nami."

Ace can hear the frustration in his little brother's voice.

"What do you mean?" Ace's brow furrows. She seems the same to him. Perhaps she was a little less violent to Luffy than he recalls, but he doesn't see why that should make Luffy so upset.

"Her dream . . . It wasn't to make a map of the world, it was to find someone— it was to find me."

Ace pauses as it all clicks in his mind. She must've heard about him and Luffy after they took out Arlong. Probably wanted to thank them. But to go out to sea in search of one person— it's incredible to Ace. Whether she has the same dream or not, she definitely has the same determination.

"Well, she found you," Ace points out.

"Now her dream is to help me become Pirate King," Luffy mumbles against Ace. "It isn't right. She should want to chart out the world! She should want millions of Beri! But she doesn't. She says that now that she's found me, she doesn't need money anymore . . . She isn't the same Nami," he asserts again.

Ace's eyes harden. "But it's better than the alternative of a childhood full of slavery." Ace grabs his brother firmly. "You _knew_ what you were getting into when you changed things, Luffy!"

"I know, I know," Luffy says wearily. "And I get that it's amazing how she got to be my navigator again, but I just . . . I miss her. She doesn't hit me anymore or anything. Brook told me once that that's how she shows her love."

Ace chuckles. "I don't know if that's quite it, Luffy."

"I just don't know what to do with her. I need to help her find a new dream."

"Luffy, I don't think that'll fix anything," Ace says softly. "She's her own woman. You can't try and make her be someone else. Besides, surely something good has come of this?"

Luffy nods slowly. "She does smile more. And she dances with me sometimes."

"Think about those things," Ace encourages.

"You're right," Luffy says, putting a slight smile on his face. And Ace knows that Luffy isn't over it yet, but hopefully he'll see the truth of the matter sooner rather than later.

"I noticed you picked up Robin early," Ace begins, changing the subject.

Luffy lights right up. "Yeah! She was working in Broken Works. She was doing that the first time, it's how we met, remember? This time when we met, I asked her right away to join my crew, and she agreed! It's going to be so much easier to save Vivi's country now that we have Robin too."

Ace doesn't doubt it. "I'm glad you found her— I'm glad you've found all of them." Ace smiles, and he feels Luffy returning the gesture against his chest.

"Yeah, I did it, didn't I? They're with me. Now all I need to do is find Brook and Franky and we'll all be together again." His words are firm, a promise. "I'll never let anything bad happen to them ever again."

"I know," Ace says, rubbing his brother's back. He breathes in and out deeply, feeling relieved from the pressure keeping so many secrets brings.

"Night, Ace."

"Good night, Lu."

* * *

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **So, this is the introductory chapter for Luffy and Ace in Alabasta. The entire thing will be completed next week in a very, very long chapter. We'll still be plowing through the canon with this fic.**

 **For any and all of you who are uncertain or upset about things being overlooked/unaddressed, do not worry. Before the end of this fic there will be a lot covered. Including, but not limited to: Ace and Luffy's dependency, Robin and Nami's relationship, Nami and Luffy's stuff, furtherance of the Ace and Luffy background sharing, Marco's bizarre hunch, Mr.2's woefully short presence, and the serious question about what the hell's gonna happen since Blackbeard is blissfully dead. Stay tuned, it will be addressed.**

 **Also, I thought all of your responses and explanations were very interesting. Thank you for sharing! A lot of you answered that your least favorite arc was the Davy Back fights. I didn't put that one last . . . mostly because I've never seen the whole thing. I watch an episode or read a couple of chapters before I surrender and skip ahead. lol.**

 **Anyways, thank you for all the continued support, I'll see you all next week!**


	12. Revolution 1 & 9

**Wonderful to see you all again!**

 **Thanks go out to Smoochynose, Cowpog-BreenBean, BeASlumberingDragon, duhorcommonsense, dancingjadedragon, ovan963, Guest (09/18/15), lany-chan, N Harmonic, Kiddiluna, Nala1220, dwarfprince, Yana5, Guest (09/18/15), Friendly Reader, xXxAnimexLoverxXx, xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx, LongPastMidnight [3], The Mightier Pen, Kokos, Ginshi-chan, Jisca, MeganeD-chan, dinno, Zyrothe, Shannon Rei D. Sumner, Fancyunicorn, Zelga Lim Li, Ruinous Crow, Rin-s666, otakujijo, Cloudedguardian, and Kaze Kage Kitsune!**

 **I really appreciate all of ya'll's feedback~**

 **Much love to the wonderful breather who beta'd this chapter!**

 **Let's finish off the Alabasta arc!**

* * *

 _Chapter 12: Revolution 1 & 9_

* * *

Marco stifles a yawn as he exits the men's cabin. Perhaps it's because he's away from his family, but Marco hasn't slept very well . . . Then again, it may have something to do with the fact that Usopp tosses and turns relentlessly, and Sanji and Zoro sleep-argue. Either way, he'll be glad to be back amongst his family once more. Though that won't be anytime soon. It's only been six days since he and Ace met up with Luffy and his crew. A little more than two weeks left . . . damn. He better check in with Pops before the rest of the crew wakes up. Yesterday, Luffy decided to interrupt his call to Pops to ask if the old man _poops_ , of all things. His question was met with utter silence until Thatch started laughing, igniting a chorus that echoed from _The Moby Dick_ across the Den Den. Ace had growled and proceeded to angrily chase his brother around the ship all while lecturing him. Luffy's crew sighed – all smiling, though –as Nami apologized on behalf of her captain for his forward question. The absurdity of the whole interaction was finally punctuated when Pops called Luffy back, called him a gutsy brat, and said very plainly that yes, yes he does poop. As . . . _entertaining_ as the whole thing was, Marco doesn't much want to risk Luffy asking another one of his questions.

Walking to the side of the ship, Marco flips open the wristwatch Den Den Mushi. It's a little early, but he knows Pops will already be up, doing stretches or paperwork.

"Hello?" Whitebeard's voice asks from the small mustachioed snail.

"Hey, Pops."

"Marco, my son, how are things?"

And how to answer that question? Chronologically or based on the level of strangeness? He could maybe start with how Luffy and his crew fished out an okama from the sea the other day – who Luffy quickly dubbed "Bon-chan" – or how said okama has the powers to adopt the face of anyone he touches. He could even mention that the okama is a high-level member of Baroque Works and using his powers to create impetus behind the civil war brewing in Alabasta. All of it seems so ridiculous, even now despite how Robin, who hid for the entire encounter with "Bon-chan," confirmed all of Vivi's worse suspicions. It's like the plot for some of the cheap adventure books Marco's always tried to steer clear of.

"Strange as ever," Marco finally answers.

"Oh?" Whitebeard asks. "Interesting enough that I should enter the galley?"

Since Marco first checked in, the rest of the Whitebeard crew has been gathering around the Den Den to hear about the ridiculous antics Luffy pulls and Ace's big brother-esque behavior. Ace isn't the crew's younger brother per se, but he certainly isn't their older one either. He's generally easy-going and approachable, never taking things too seriously. In the past six days, Marco has seen him shout with anger, scold fervently like a parent, exasperatedly explain the rules of common courtesy for what Marco suspects is not the first time, and argue pettily and sometimes seriously with actual aggression. His fellow commander has been harried, stressed, and more violent than usual. Marco has never seen Ace happier.

"I don't know, but see for yourself. You can always tell them later," Marco points out.

"Indeed I can. So what has the little brat done now?"

"He managed to pick up a Baroque agent yesterday, Mr. 2." Marco pauses. "Picked up might not be so accurate. Fished from the ocean fits better."

"You'll need to ask him what kind of bait he uses." Whitebeard pauses. "Was there a fight?"

"Not at all. Luffy, Chopper, and Usopp were too busy playing around the deck with him. They loved him. He has the Mane-Mane fruit, it lets him—"

"Copy the body of whoever he touches," Whitebeard finishes.

"Exactly," Marco says.

"A most impressive power."

"And entertaining," Marco comments dryly. "Luffy was in tears when Mr. 2's crew came to pick him up."

Whitebeard lets out a hearty laugh. "From everything you've told me, I'm not entirely shocked." He pauses for a moment. "Did he touch you or Ace?"

Marco smirks. Pop's overprotective streak always shows itself somehow. "No, he didn't."

"And the Straw Hats?"

"Almost all of them. Not the princess, thankfully."

"At least the princess was spared, but this will no doubt complicate their mission to return her to power if there is a man walking around with their faces."

Marco snorts slightly. "Luffy seems pretty unbothered. He says Mr. 2 is a good guy."

"At least their spirits aren't low," Whitebeard says with amusement.

"Speaking of, how're things on the ship?" He dreads asking, but being away during such a time of crisis is unsettling for him. He wants to know how his brothers are doing. Thankfully Whitebeard has good news for him.

"The crew is beginning to settle. I think stories about Ace's brother help a great deal. Everyone is incredibly curious now."

Marco laughs. "Trust me when I say he's just as bizarre as he sounds and more."

He can hear his father's smile over the line. A sudden flash of fire in the corner of his eyes draws his gaze.

"About your paperwork—"

"Sorry Pops, I gotta go, Ace is going to burn something down." Marco quickly closes the Den Den and jogs to the other side of the ship. Marco knows that after they docked last night, Ace practically had to tie his brother up to get him to calm down. Apparently he's eager to show Ace how much he's grown in three years. While brothers did go to sleep without sparring, evidently Luffy woke the both of them up early in exchange.

There's another flare of fire a few miles away, followed by a cloud of kicked up sand. He squints and he can make out two figures clashing around what appears to be the lake of an oasis. How the hell did the two of them find an oasis? He doesn't remember seeing one last night. Unless this is a mirage. That . . . or Ace is—

He senses someone approach, followed by a soft intake of air. He turns slightly as the ship's navigator, Nami, approaches the railing. Her light brown eyes are wide as she takes in the spectacle.

"Is that water?" she asks softly. Her surprise and confusion is understandable considering that they haven't seen a single spring or lake inland since they've been here.

"Not so much. Ace is melting a lot of the sand."

"Glass," she utters in awe at the glimmering spectacle.

"He should stop before he melts the whole desert. Personally I think it's an improvement, but I doubt your friend Vivi will be too excited about that."

She smiles before turning her eyes back to her captain and his brother. Marco copies her, watching as a veritable pillar of fire shoots up in the air.

"It's been a while since I've seen Ace go all out like this," he comments idly.

Nami's tone is hesitant. "To be honest, I don't think I've ever seen Luffy go all out."

Marco looks at her through the corner of his eye. There's something troubled behind her gaze. Considering the crew's reactions to hearing about Luffy's childhood the first night, and even the fact that he has a brother, it's clear to Marco that Luffy is just as private as Ace is. And while he's seen Ace fight _hard,_ he also believes that there are some things still kept secret from him.

"Well you know, you've barely entered the Grand Line. If Luffy's anywhere near as strong as Ace it'll probably take a lot to get him to go all out," Marco says, tone assuring.

That earns him another smile. "He _is_ really strong."

"I figured. There must be something in the water in . . . wherever they grew up."

Nami shakes her head. "Can you imagine there being a whole village of them? Two is already a handful!"

"Isn't that the truth."

Marco turns slightly as he senses the chef approaching. With a grand motion, Sanji presents Nami with a teacup.

"Green tea with a single tablespoon of honey, Nami-swan~" Sanji gives a small twirl as she accepts the teacup and saucer and takes a sip. After a few more compliments, Sanji goes over to the railing.

"What's rubber-head up to?" he asks Marco as he squints at the horizon.

"Turning the desert into glass," Marco answers dryly. Sanji stares at the spectacle for a moment before snorting and turning back to the galley.

"Then they'll be hungry," Sanji says as he ducks inside.

"I think I'll tend my trees before breakfast," Nami says aloud, mostly to herself, although she turns to face Marco. "They're the best mikan you'll find anywhere on the sea."

"Mikan are pretty rare out here on the ocean," Marco comments idly. "Though good. I haven't had one in a long—"

She cuts him off by holding up her pointer finger.

"One billion beri per mikan," she says sternly.

He blanches at the ridiculous price before her expression softens into a smile.

"Just kidding!" Her face goes serious again. "But don't touch them."

"Understood," Marco says, sweat-dropping. Nami nods and leaves, teacup in hand.

After she goes up the deck, Marco turns to the shaded part of the _Going Merry._

"You know, you can see much better from here," he offers to the shadows. He feels her surprise as Robin exits the shade— not that any of it shows on her face. As she approaches, her eyes dart momentarily to the glinting glass slowly hardening in the sun, and the occasional spurts of fire on the horizon, before resting on him again.

She's by far the most cautious member of the entire Straw Hat crew. Even Zoro, the first mate, has relaxed around them the more he gets to know them. Not that a passerby would recognize Robin's seemingly inherent distrust; she keeps a perennially mild expression on her face, never reacting, except for a rare smile in Luffy's direction.

"As beautiful as that is, I'm here because Ace-san mentioned you enjoy reading," Robin says.

Marco notes the worn, red book in her hands. His suspicions are confirmed when she extends it to him.

"Though I haven't compiled a library yet, I was able to find a few used books at Nanohana. This book happens to be one I particularly enjoy."

Marco examines the spine of the book. _One Thousand and One Nights_ is printed along the side in faded gold script. He pages through it. Not only is the book fairly thick, but the words and sentences are long and convoluted . . . It's the perfect way to pass his remaining two weeks. He looks towards Robin and nods.

"Thanks."

"Of course, Marco-san," Robin replies. With one more glance towards him and the glittering glass in the distance, she departs for the ladies' cabin. Marco is just about to find a secluded nook on the ship to start reading, when he hears the soft sounds of hooves on the wooden deck.

Chopper comes over and jumps onto the railing to get a good view of what's happening. As he realizes, like the other members, that Luffy and Ace are melting the desert, he nearly falls back onto the deck. Marco catches him before he hits the ground.

"Oh, um, thank you," the reindeer hedges, clearly not entirely comfortable around the two temporary additions to the ship.

"Of course," Marco says easily. The doctor doesn't move to leave, or get back onto the banister. Instead, he stares at Marco.

"Do you need something?" the first commander asks eventually.

"As I understand it, neither you nor Ace were expecting to come here, correct?" And the sudden change in demeanor takes Marco by surprise.

"That's right."

"Then I'd appreciate if the both of you came to the infirmary later today for immunizations. Alabasta's diseases are more potent to outsiders than most other islands'. Our navigator almost died a little while ago because of poor health care."

Ah. It's doctor mode. Whitebeard's crew has a physician of course— several, actually, and now that he makes the comparison, he sees the same no-nonsense look on Chopper's face . . . Admittedly it isn't as frightening because Chopper is pretty young, and rather endearing.

"Alright, I'll tell Ace when he comes back. I assume you have seastone needles?"

Chopper nods absently, his face is suddenly worried considerably. "Oh dear, glass burns are rather serious. I hope Luffy's being careful. I should prepare some solution to remove the glass from his skin just in case. Gauze is a good idea, they seem to be fighting a lot . . ."

Suddenly remembering where he is, Chopper starts.

"Ah, please excuse me, I need to go prepare for when those two return." Chopper wanders off to one of the cabins, deep in thought. What an interesting kid. He's very serious for one so young. Actually, almost all of them are rather young, now that he thinks about it. Ace let slip that Luffy is only seventeen. Nami and Usopp both look to be around Luffy's age, and Zoro and Sanji look maybe a couple years older. It seems possible that Robin is the only member of the crew who is not a teenager. Though her looks are impossibly youthful, her maturity places her age well above Luffy and the rest (of course, Marco knows better than to ask). It doesn't seem like age is a factor in their crew, though. Luffy, who's one of the youngest on the crew, is indisputably in charge— even if his methods are unorthodox. Like everything else regarding Luffy and Ace, it's interesting.

With Ace's promise to stay for another two weeks, it seems like Marco and he will be travelling into the actual country. The first commander will be able to see Luffy's leadership in action, which should make good stories for the crew back home, if nothing else.

* * *

"This is so typical." Nami sighs looking irritably around their cage. She, Luffy, Marco, Ace, and Smoker had all fallen through a trap door and into some kind of cage. Outside, all she sees is a desk and a large tank full of banana-gators— so no one they can call to for help. This isn't really what she'd call infiltration. Then again, Luffy's never been one for subterfuge.

"You just _had_ to stay one more day," Marco grouches.

"I thought it might be nice to see Rainbase," Ace says sheepishly. "I thought we could just check the place out. I wasn't expecting Smoker to chase us around the casino and into a trap."

"A clever trap indeed," Luffy utters.

"It was not!" Nami snaps. Marco puts a hand on the cage before quickly withdrawing it.

"It's sea stone. Of course." He sighs. "You know, Ace, when you suggested spending time with your little brother, this isn't really what I had in mind."

"Me neither," Ace says bluntly before looking at the dark haired teen.

Luffy laughs. "Sorry. I forgot."

Ace takes a deep breath and exhales. "Figures."

"You forgot to check for traps?" Marco looks upward. "Ah, well, you're still a rookie."

"You forgot to check too!" Nami quickly accuses.

"You're all so loud," Smoker growls. Nami visibly starts. She forgot the intimidating man chasing them is in here too. Eyeing him distrustfully, she edges back towards her captain who smiles widely.

"Ah. Hi, Smokey!" Luffy greets.

"Don't call me Smokey!" he snaps. The navigator sighs. Luffy really does have the most uncanny way of getting under even the coolest of people's skins with only a sentence or two. It would be amazing, if it didn't lead them into so much trouble all the time.

"But you're all—" Luffy proceeds to make hissing airy sounds that Nami can only assume are supposed to be smoke.

"I'm a logia user," Smoker states, jaw tight.

"Duh. I know that, Smokey," Luffy replies.

"When we get out of here I'm going to crush you beneath by boot!" Smoker grits out.

"I don't think that'll happen," a voice says. "Seeing as you'll all be dying here today."

Smoker grits his teeth around his cigar. "Crocodile!"

From behind her, Nami can hear Luffy softly uttering, "I knew there was something else I was forgetting!" Ace lightly smacks him over the head, saving Nami from the temptation of doing just that herself.

From behind the desk, the red chair spins around revealing the large figure of a man she knows must be Crocodile. Frustration and anger well up in her as she remembers all of Vivi's tears. Such a wicked man. His aloof smile reminds her far too much of Arlong, and her nails dig into her palm. Beside her, Luffy is practically vibrating with energy.

"I wasn't expecting to catch two Whitebeard commanders in my trap. Did you perhaps jump ship onto better, younger prospects that aren't about to keel over at any second?" Crocodile asks with a sneer. Flames of anger shoot up Ace's body, but before he can do anything, Marco is there, grabbing his flaming forearm and keeping him in check.

"It's been a while, Crocodile. To be honest, I sort of forgot about you." Marco stares at the other man with a bored, dismissive expression.

Crocodile's eyes narrow. "First commander Marco the Phoenix. You Whitebeard pirates are all so arrogant. Whitebeard may be the power on the seas now, but his era will soon end."

"People have been saying that for decades," Marco drawls.

"You won't be around to see it either way. Operation: Utopia has already begun! Soon all of Alabasta will burn under the flames of revolution, and I will—"

Crocodile is stopped short by the sound of a ringing Den Den. Nami sees the mustache-wearing Den Den on Marco's wrist has lit up. Surprisingly, Marco doesn't silence it. Instead he pulls it off.

"Here." Marco tosses it to his fellow Whitebeard pirate.

Ace catches it, eyes wide. "What?! You answer it!"

"This is your vacation," Marco says promptly. Ace makes a face, but slowly answers the Den Den.

"Er, hello."

"Ace, son. It's good to hear from you," an old, deep voice responds. As if Nami's day isn't strange enough, not only is she caged by an usurper, with a marine captain as a fellow captive, but she also has Whitebeard on line one. Ace turns slightly to face the wall in order to feign some level of privacy, but most all of them are watching incredulously.

"Hey Pops," Ace greets with a chipper tone that's slightly too forced.

"What is your current position? The crew intends to head up towards Sabaody. If we can pick you up before we get too far, we can save you some time. I know we're all eager for your return." There's a beat of silence. "Son, you're being awfully quiet."

Ace winces. "Well you see, Marco and I sort of got held up . . . we haven't set out to sea yet."

There's a pause of exasperation and fondness. "So what happened?" In the background noise of the Den-Den Nami hears laughter, likely from the rest of their crew.

"What makes you think something happened?"

"Ace has a shitty idea of what a vacation is."

Marco and Ace answer at the same, eliciting more laughter from the Den-Den.

"Ace?" Whitebeard presses slightly.

Ace exhales. "Do you remember that super weak Shichibukai from a few years ago?"

"His name's Alligator," Luffy chips in helpfully.

"It's Crocodile!" Smoker snarls.

"That's what I said." Luffy's expression turns confused.

"Crocodile. That guy. Anyways, we sort of bumped into him," the second commander explains.

Captured in a seastone cage is not what Nami categorizes as 'bumping into.' The navigator sighs. She can't believe Luffy and his brother. They're both so impossible. The similarity of such a ridiculous trait is astonishing.

"Do you intend to fight him?" Whitebeard asks.

"Nah, I'll leave that to Luffy. He's the one with a bone to pick. Crocodile is hurting one of his nakama, after all, so it's only fair that Luffy gets to beat him up," Ace replies.

"Yeah, as soon as we're out of here, my captain's going to kick you into the clouds," Nami says with an assured smirk, regaining her spunk.

"Yeah! Bring it on Gator-guy!" Luffy shouts.

All the while, Crocodile's face has been turning darker and darker red in fury.

Finally, he snaps. "Will you all just shut up?!"

Ace blinks. "Sorry Pops, we gotta go. Alligator— I mean, Crocodile was in the middle of revealing his evil plan. We'll call you after we get out of here."

"Very well, then I shall expect to hear from you later. Safe travels, my sons." With those departing words, the snail slumps over. Ace tosses the Den-Den back to Marco who reattaches it to his wrist.

Ace then turns to Crocodile with a smile. "So you were saying something about Operation: Utopia?"

Crocodile opens his mouth, likely to shout at them again (anger issues much?), when the door slams open dramatically. Sunlight pours in through the doorway, illuminating the silhouettes of Vivi and, and—

"Robin?!" Nami exclaims.

The navigator stares daggers at the figure of the dark haired woman. As ever, Robin's blue eyes stare impassively forward as she nudges Vivi down the steps.

"I know I'm back late from my scouting mission," Robin says. "But I'm hoping this gift will make up for it."

"Traitor!" spills out of Nami's mouth in an angry utterance. "We took you in! And now you're betraying us?!"

"Miss All-Sunday. Your _friend_ seems to be quite upset," Crocodile says with a cruel grin.

Robin raises an eyebrow coolly in response before rejoining Crocodile's side.

Nami's eyes dart to her captain. She's angry and hurt, but that's has to be nothing compared to how Luffy must be feeling. He surprises her when all she finds is a perfectly blank expression on his face. Then again, this is pretty typical for him.

She stares at Robin piercingly. Luffy may never voice aloud the betrayal in his mind, but Nami has no such issue. She'll never forgive Nico Robin!

* * *

Robin watches as the crab carrying the Straw Hats and Ace and Marco disappears into the desert. Luffy had intercepted Crocodile's grab at Vivi so easily it was ridiculous. Now he stands before them, posture defiant, and— and his pinky is shoved up one nostril.

"You disgusting brat." Crocodile sneers. "I'm going to burn this country to the ground with this war, and you will be my first casualty, Monkey D. Luffy."

"No."

"Denial seems to be your strong suit, Straw Hat. Well, since I'll have to dispose of you sooner or later, I might as well make this an entertaining fight. I'll humor you for three minutes." Crocodile's smirk falters at the sheer excitement radiated by Luffy.

"Oh that's a good training idea!" Luffy exclaims. "I'll beat you in under three minutes! Hey, Robin, will you time us?"

Robin blinks, surprised at being addressed so directly and without antagonism. She isn't prepared for the lack of resentment, so she stays silent by Crocodile's side, wondering what will happen next. She had foreseen that Luffy would likely win because of his extreme control of Haki, but Crocodile's Devil's Fruit is nothing to easily dismiss. Whichever side wins, Robin already has contingency plans.

"Ready to start time?" Luffy asks, undaunted by her lack of reply. "Alright, let's go!"

He immediately launches himself at Crocodile, who laughs as he dissolves into dust— or at least tries to. Luffy punches the particles in the air with a black-coated fist, forcing them to manifest. Robin thinks she can maybe hear the ribs breaking under the extreme pressure of the punch.

"A Haki user," Crocodile growls. "How does a runt from the East Blue have Haki?!"

Luffy doesn't answer, he just punches again, but this time Crocodile has integrated himself more thoroughly with the air in the area, making it impossible for Luffy to land a solid blow.

"You can't get me if I spread myself out, Straw Hat." Crocodile's disembodied laugh sounds out. "Looks like it's game over for—"

"Shut up," Luffy says before he starts drilling the air like a machine gun, his fists moving so fast that Robin can barely keep track of them. The punches force pieces of Crocodile to assemble, and each of those pieces is drilled, over and over again by Luffy's quick jabs.

Blood leaking from his partially formed mouth, Crocodile shouts, "Why are you doing this?! It isn't even your country!"

"You made Vivi cry. I'll never forgive you for that." With a final, Haki-laced punch, Crocodile knows no more. Robin blinks, startled by how fast the entire thing had happened.

"Ne, was I under three minutes?" Luffy asks curiously as he lets Crocodile's solidified unconscious body hit the ground.

Robin hesitates. She was right to think Luffy would be the winner. But switching sides was the safest choice before her. If Crocodile happened to win, she could claim she was on his side the whole time. If he lost —as he so evidently did— well, now Robin just needs to convince Luffy that it was a double (triple? She always loses track of how many times she crosses people) cross. Of the two men, the teen is the only one who would even consider forgiving her. Joining Crocodile again was the right choice, but with Luffy's open face in front of her, she feels incredibly unprepared.

"Luffy." She pauses. "I didn't intend to let Crocodile really hurt you—"

"Don't care," Luffy interrupts. "Let's start heading to Alburna. Do you want to carry him first, or should I?"

Dismissive of her entirely. Robin shelves the slight sadness in her chest. His distrust and disgust is reasonable. "I understand you are perhaps upset, but it was nothing personal. I never meant harm against you or your crew."

"Robin." Luffy shakes his head like she's being slow. "That doesn't matter. You're nakama. I'll come and get you wherever you go, whoever you join. I won't let you go until you realize your dream."

Robin chokes back a relieved laugh, barely maintaining her composure. He's not letting her back; Luffy makes it seem like she never left. And more than that, he still talks about her dream. When she'll achieve it, not if. He's . . . one of a kind.

Smiling, she says, "You realize that may never happen."

"It will. Until then, we'll spend a lot of time together and have lots of adventures! Let's get going!"

She nods before dutifully summoning an array of hands to carry her ex-boss. Robin finds she isn't too worried about regaining the rest of the crew's trust, because for some reason, undeserving of it as she is, Robin has Luffy's. And that counts the most in her world.

* * *

Vivi waits anxiously on the outskirts of Alburna, hoping and praying that the young boy she's placed her faith into will pull through. The top ten members of Baroque Works have all been beaten. Many of them escaped, but Vivi's more relieved that her nakama are relatively unharmed than anything else. Chopper took a pounding for sure, Usopp is imitating a mummy, Nami is rather battered, Sanji has a smattering of bruises, and Zoro looks like he ran through a forest of glass. But they're all whole, and they're all waiting with her. She appreciates the support, because while the initial attack has been stopped, the assured safety of her country is still in jeopardy. Despite that, Vivi is truly amazed things went as well as they have. Not only has the top tier of Baroque Works been dismantled, but the revolution has been momentarily halted.

Though it was her goal all along, Vivi's still amazed that, with the help from Marco, she was able to speak to Khoza and halt the attack. The first division commander carried her to the front lines of the rebel group in his Devil Fruit form in a way that reminded her so much of all her childhood flights with Chaka. Marco's intimidating blue, fiery form stopped the revolutionaries dead in their tracks, giving her time to dismount and run towards her old childhood friend and _beg_ for them to stop this war. Khoza was utterly dumbfounded by her sudden and dramatic appearance on the battlefield, so maybe that's why he let her explain in rushed sentences what has really been happening in Alabasta.

She knows he wants to believe her. She knows that he doesn't want this civil war to happen any more than she does. But she also knows that his loyalty to the people he commands cannot be altered. So he gave her an ultimatum: if she can produce Crocodile and let Khoza question him, he will call off the revolution.

Igaram reported everything that's been happening with Baroque Works to the king, who immediately took to the streets of the capital, looking for Vivi. He ran into Sanji after his fierce battle with Mr. 2 and accompanied the blond pirate back to their meeting place at the edge of the city. After an embrace (because it had been _too_ long since she last saw him) with her father, he and Khoza shared choppy, terse words. But after re-explaining the situation, her father decided to stay with them to see how things will unravel.

So Vivi, her father, Khoza, a handful of his men, Marco and Ace, and the entire Straw Hat crew, wait for Luffy to return (hopefully with Crocodile in tow).

Realistically, Vivi knows that it's unlikely that a seventeen-year-old (from the East Blue no less) will be able beat the menacing usurper. But Vivi is also an incurable idealist. So, she also knows that if any seventeen-year-old from the East Blue could beat Crocodile, it's Luffy. Already she's witnessed feats beyond the scope of her imagination. It's impressive that Luffy's been able to defeat so many strong people. It's unnatural that he's been able to take them out with _ease._

Vivi met Luffy while he was destroying several dozen Baroque minions. She remembers being stunned by this amazing crew that demolished the members left and right. More than anyone else, though, her eyes had been glued on Luffy though. Because he fought with a carelessness no one else could use and survive with. He didn't use any of the special attacks he's mentioned offhand to Vivi since she's joined. He just punched and kicked them with an almost bored expression. His eyes weren't even on the battle, but rather scanning the surroundings. Despite his lack of attention, his enemies fell around him in waves. When he stood among the wreckage, not even winded by the battle, he continued to look around the area. There was something desperate and melancholy in his gaze. Then his eyes met hers, even though she and Igaram stayed back in the shadows of the buildings, and a blinding smile of pure joy spread over his face. He all but skipped over, eagerly introducing himself to what were his enemies at the time. The rest of his crew was similarly confused, angry, and exasperated in turn. But Luffy's eyes stayed on Vivi's.

' _I know you,'_ they said. And it was too intense. She looked away, staring at Igaram. Her friend was so stunned by their fighting, that he immediately asked for their help. Luffy said yes before even hearing what they wanted his help for, earning the captain plenty of shouts and lectures. But after listening to the story, he agreed in the exact same way as before. As though the knowledge didn't change a thing. So, with Vivi relatively taken care of, Igaram left on Carue (who had been very hard to part with. There were tears on both sides), and went back into Baroque works, intending to tell them Miss Wednesday had died in the fight. With all the battered and broken bodies left over from Luffy and his crew's fight, it wasn't actually such a hard tale to believe.

So she began travelling with this odd teenager and his crew of eccentric people.

Vivi had been told as a child that pirates, while nice to tell stories about, were not the best people, and should not be trusted unless under the direst of circumstances. Well, it didn't get much more dire than the impending revolution hovering over Vivi's beloved country. So while not her first choice, she joined a pirate crew. However, the Straw Hats were nothing like what she'd been told.

While the princess kept herself at a distance from the pirates in the beginning, all of them tore down her walls one by one. Nami was the first. The other teen immediately welcomed Vivi aboard with a welcoming smile, eager for another girl to sail with. While the navigator was rather kind, she possessed a sharp, witty tongue, stunning Vivi on occasion with her brash speech. They became fast friends as fellow females among the aggressive, over energized men on the crew. But they became nakama when Vivi subtly inquired about Nami's fondness for her captain.

" _I notice Luffy and you are quite close,"_ she had said.

As they both knew, it was the polite way of asking if the navigator was in love. Nami nodded and then shook her head.

She said, " _Yes, but not in any way you'd understand."_

Vivi was rather hurt by the rebuff, but then Nami, after a long pause, told her a handful of sentences about her childhood, and Vivi's heart burst out from where she was carefully hiding it away. The sympathy and admiration she felt for the navigator was astounding. And their relationship as nakama was set in stone.

Sanji, while initially overbearing, grew on her with his persistent kindness. At the start, she took his advances with rather brittle smiles. Because though Nami explained that Sanji didn't really want anything from them, Vivi still suspected. How could she not? The chef was obsessed with women, all but tripping over himself when either she or Nami so much as smiled. Even if he didn't intend to use them for anything, he was always too intense and too interested in their gender and looks for the desert princess to fully relax.

But then Vivi tripped and fell when they were in Little Garden. Sanji knelt down immediately and asked if she was okay. He treated her bruise and scrapes with some of few first aid supplies they possessed back then. He spoke genially the whole time, assuring her that adventuring was hard, especially with Luffy as a captain, and that if she needed to pause or take a break it was okay. All of them would understand. He then stood, and extended a hand to lift her off the ground. Through the rest of the day, he was extremely protective of her, beating all manner of creatures away, and when they reunited with the others, he showered her and Nami with all the attention he usually did. But Vivi's mind is still captivated by the seriousness he had treated her injury with, the gentle understanding in his eyes, and finally saw his actions for what they were— _kindness._ And she's so glad she met him.

Usopp is sometimes the odd one out on board. Unlike Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro, he doesn't rise to the challenge of their fights with eagerness. He actually tends to hide behind Vivi and Nami. But his capacity to soothe her mind during the long hours of their sail is invaluable to her. It's in the too-quiet pauses on board, when Luffy's napping or sitting on the figurehead, that Usopp shines. He starts with an overwhelming lie. Chopper immediately believes it. Nami scolds him, and he makes up another lie, even grander than the first. Sanji curses at him for lying to women. And Zoro sarcastically challenges whatever hyperbolic actions the figurative Usopp committed. And then Usopp lies again. Though each word is more unbelievable than the last, time moves faster, and more pleasantly when he speaks them.

While she's never had a proper conversation with the swordsman, she's incredibly fond of Zoro. His intimidating, stoic expression frightened her when she first met him. But she learned that his resting face just _is_ frightening and indifferent. With that in mind, he isn't quite as scary. In fact, Zoro's the calmest on board by far, and when he dozes against the mast, Vivi occasionally moves her chair closer and sits beside him. Zoro makes Vivi feel incredibly safe.

She didn't realize how much she'd changed since meeting the Straw Hats until Chopper came on board. He was as frightened and uncertain as she was when she joined their group. And as she assured him that " _That's just the way Zoro's face looks. Sanji doesn't really mean to kill Zoro, he just says things like that sometimes. Honestly, Nami is safe, we'll make sure she doesn't fall over board when she drinks. There are no such things as exploding vegetable zombies, Usopp's lying. Yes, Luffy is always like this,"_ she realized that she loves them. All of them.

Despite how much she's come to love and trust the charming crew and their dynamic captain, Luffy's invitation of Miss All-Sunday is something Vivi isn't quite over. Though Miss All-Sunday surrendered her allegiance to Crocodile and Baroque works, that doesn't change the damage she's done, the people she hurt while she was a member. Luffy said he met her in the past. Whatever happened in their meeting must've left a really good impression on the teen captain, because he cheered and laughed with happiness when she joined. But Vivi knows that it isn't so easy to switch a personality. So Vivi stays far away from her.

Apparently, if the recent kidnapping is a sign, she didn't stay far enough away. Vivi isn't upset at Luffy for inviting Miss All-Sunday. The blame of her capture lies purely on the Baroque agent. Her teeth grind together as she imagines how the woman betrayed Luffy's innocent and altruistically given trust.

She knows he hasn't shown his true upset, but when he does, Vivi will be there to soothe the pain, and gently explain that sometimes the people we think are friends can betray us— but not Nami, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Chopper, or Vivi. Not them. They would never, will never.

Luffy just deserves better than Robin's betrayal.

After everything he's done for Vivi, after everything he's done for her _country,_ a land that isn't even his, Vivi genuinely believes that he deserves all the treasure in the world and the title as the greatest pirate.

Though Luffy's power is _nothing_ to blink at, it's his personality that wins her over. His charisma is part of why she trusts him so much. She just wants to, it's a natural pull of his personality. He's a truly good and reliable friend. Despite that, Vivi's thought on many occasions how little she knows him.

Though the most outgoing by _far,_ she doesn't feel like she has a grasp on the teen captain at all.

He's kind, but not considerate about others. He's easy-going, but the most mercurial person she's ever met. He gives so much, but remains incredibly selfish.

Nothing about him makes sense.

But believing in him does. Believing in him is effortless. And everyone around him knows it.

Maybe that's why everyone is so calm. His brother, his ridiculously kind and vaguely overbearing older brother, is currently laughing with his crewmate about something frivolous, eyes not even drifting to the horizon. Zoro and Sanji are arguing, like they always seem to be. Chopper, though a little uncertain, lets himself be distracted by Usopp's grand storytelling. Only Nami worries, but she always does. Confident in her captain as Vivi knows she is, the navigator worries because she must. The desert princess knows that if Luffy ever disappeared from her life, Nami would break down. So while the navigator believes in him implicitly, she frets all the while. Vivi welcomes the company by her side, silent as she remains.

Khoza watches on impassively. Vivi wishes they could talk, catch up, be the friends she knows they still are. But they can't. Not when they're still technically on opposite sides, not when they both know Khoza may have to fight her beloved father.

If Luffy can't pull off a miracle, then everything may have been for nothing . . .

And then Luffy appears on the desert horizon, carrying Crocodile's dead or unconscious body. Beside him is Miss All-Sunday, looking as emotionless as ever. Vivi has no idea how he captured her too, but she doesn't care. Crocodile is really—

She staggers forward through the sand, incredibly graceless for a princess.

He calls out as he nears their group. "Sorry we're late! We got lost. The desert all looks the same. It's just sand, sand, sand, sand and more sa—"

Vivi tackles him to the ground. Crocodile slips from his grip as he allows her to take him down into the sand. The desert princess crouches over him, mentally torn with emotions. She grips his vest and shakes him.

"Thank you," she whispers. "Thank you," she says again. "Thank you. Thank you! Thank you, Luffy! Thank you!" She's shouting and crying and an absolute mess in every way.

Luffy grabs both of her hands, which are tightly twisting the material of his shirt.

"You're nakama."

And for him that's really all there is to it. He may be the most remarkable man she's ever known.

A tan hand stretches towards her, and Vivi looks up to see Khoza reaching out to her, eyes guilty and caring and loving. She accepts his grip. A few of Khoza's men are tying up Crocodile in seastone rope, readying him for interrogation, when the usurper wakes up in a spastic movement.

His head jerks up and the logia user scans all of them in an agitated way. But then his eyes land on Luffy.

" _You_ ," he snarls. "You fucking brat. How dare you attempt to challenge me! I will murder you! Alabasta is _mine!_ Operation: Utopia will bring this country to its knees, and I'll bury you in the sand with it, _Straw Hat!"_

Khoza's eyes harden as the 'hero' of Alabasta confirms all of the terrible accusations against him.

"Alabasta belongs to the royal family," Khoza says firmly. And none of his men argue.

Vivi does though. She shakes her head. "Alabasta belongs to her people."

The men assembled murmur, but then cheer. Vivi understands. The gap between ideals has been bridged so suddenly in the unlikeliest place and the unlikeliest way. Vivi tightens her grip on Khoza's hand that she never released. None of them have said it. But all of them know the country is one again.

"I'll murder you Straw Hat!" Crocodile shouts, ruining what would other be a beautiful moment of reunion.

Ace takes the liberty of smacking the other logia user unconscious this time.

"The fuck you will," he utters, snorting.

"Ace," Luffy complains.

"Older brother privilege." Ace smirks.

Khoza's men approach their leader. "We have enough seastone rope for Miss All-Sunday. Do you want to let the people at the capital deal with this, or should we?"

"Haaa? Why would you tie her up?" Luffy asks, tilting his head. "Robin's not a prisoner. She's nakama."

That earns him a wave of incredulous looks from everyone except for Ace.

"Luffy," Nami utters. Her distress is palpable to Vivi. "It's hard, I know. But Robin _betrayed_ us. She took advantage of you and turned Vivi over to Crocodile! You need to accept this," she pleads.

Luffy frowns, but before he can say anything, Miss All-Sunday steps forward.

"My intention in rejoining Crocodile was to get closer to Mr. 2. With him captured, the king's name could be cleared." Her posture is incredibly still. "Now in Alburna, I intend to do just that. I know where he'll go to regroup."

It's logical. It's well intended. And Vivi doesn't believe a word of it.

Her father is more practical, more willing to do what the country needs, even if it doesn't work with his personal morals. "We shall discuss Mr. 2's capture in the palace further," he says eventually. Miss All-Sunday nods.

"Do you have to turn him over?" Luffy pouts. "Bon-chan's really nice and funny."

"Luffy—" Vivi's teeth grit. Why is he always so nice to his enemies?! All the pain they caused Vivi's country is offensively minimized by his words. It isn't _right._ It's _painful._ Even though it's just because Luffy can't seem to understand some people are just bad.

"If we can't clear King Cobra's name, Vivi won't be able to get her country back in order," Nami quickly tells him, doing damage control.

Uncharacteristically, Luffy's voice is small, and troubled. "But he's going to go to a really _bad_ prison."

The words make all of them pause, but the truly disconcerting part is the utterly bothered look on Luffy's face.

And Ace is there by his side.

For the first time ever, Ace's presence seems to make the complex emotion in his eyes only grow more tumultuous.

"Luffy," he murmurs. For a second he looks distressed, brow furrowed, before suddenly his eyes alight in realization. Ace leans towards his brother before whispering into his ear for a few seconds.

"I forgot about Iva-chan!" Luffy exclaims, all sunshine and excitement again.

Who, Vivi wonders? It's clear no one aside from Ace knows who 'Iva-chan' is.

Ace dips his head. "Exactly. Bon-chan will be fine. Don't worry."

"Mmm, alright!" Luffy grins. "Don't hurt him too much, Robin. Let's go clean Vivi's father's name!"

"Clear, you want to clear his name, not clean it," Zoro corrects with a sigh.

"I bet Vivi's dad has an awesome palace! I bet there'll be an awesome banquet. I'm hungry for meat and desert crab. Do you have a recipe for a dish with those in it, Sanji?" Luffy rambles, heading back to Alburna. Vivi stands still though, because Miss All-Sunday has begun to move with him.

Before she can say anything, Luffy's hand shoots back and he places his hat on her head. The large hat practically covers her eyes and she has to tip it up to see his bright smile. He doesn't explain why he's giving it to her. Luffy just keeps walking, chattering on and leading their party into the city. And this time the desert princess does follow along. As she walks, Vivi's hands trail over the straw of the brim and the surprisingly silky red ribbon.

She can't forgive Robin. She won't forgive Robin. She _hates_ Robin. But she trusts Luffy more than she hates Robin. And it allows her to let a little of that furious festering emotion leave her chest. She doesn't think Robin is capable of creating actual relationships, but Luffy . . . Luffy is capable of making them for her. So she'll trust Luffy to create the nakama he sees in her.

. . . And she trusts her nakama to hurt Robin irreversibly if she betrays Luffy ever again.

She plays with the brim, exploring each bit of the magical item with her fingers.

It feels like freedom. Everything Luffy touches is suddenly freed from bonds of misunderstanding, pain, and hatred.

And she thinks she loves Luffy, but not in any way you would understand.

* * *

Luffy smiles as the image of the desert princess' bright blue hair blurs and fades into the brown sandy horizon. He's seen it before and knew how it would end, but he's still just as happy and sad as last time. He admires her, even if he doesn't necessarily understand her, for turning down the freedom and adventure of a pirate to help rebuild her country. He wishes she were here with him. But it isn't goodbye.

Vivi is nakama _always_. None of his crew can stop being nakama. Ever. Even after Blackbeard, even after they died—

Luffy physically jerks away from that train of though. Because they're fine. Sanji's alive and Nami's alive. And Brook and Franky are waiting for them to pick them up. Everything is alright. So he shouldn't think about . . .

"Luffy?" Sanji asks, stirring him from his thoughts. Luffy looks around and realizes that everyone is staring at him with concern.

"Huh?"

"I said I made breakfast for Ace and Marco before they leave. It's ready—"

"Food!" He leaps into the air excitedly. Sanji always makes bacon and ham for breakfast, and sometimes he even has the shanks of meat that Luffy is always dreaming about.

He races towards the galley, taking his seat at the table eagerly. Everyone else filters in and sits down, exasperated and fond which Luffy loves, 'cause they just know him.

Luffy pauses, then stands up and goes over to Ace. They make eye contact and Ace moves back slightly so Luffy can sit on his knees while they eat. An awkward hitch in the conversations around them follows his action, and it takes a moment or two for the din to pick back up again. Luffy knows when he and Ace are really affectionate it makes people sort of uncomfortable, but he can't understand why. The ASL pirates always gave them weird looks, but Samson and Johnson and everyone got over it. His crew will get over it too. He shrugs to himself and lifts a shank of meat to eat— when he realizes something's wrong.

"Where's Robin?" Luffy asks.

His crew tenses and Luffy frowns.

"Did no one tell her it was breakfast time?" The teen captain knows she didn't want to say goodbye to Vivi, which kind of made sense since they didn't get along super well, which, while sad, is okay because they're both healing still. But for the rest of the crew, their lack of consideration and dislike isn't as clear to him.

No one says anything, so Luffy, as he often does, takes the initiative.

"Robin! Food!" He shouts loud enough that she should be able to hear him from anywhere on the ship.

"Agh! Luffy, warn me when you're about to shout like that," Ace complains, rubbing his abused ears. Luffy just laughs loudly, earning him a light smack on the head.

After a few moments the door creaks open, and Robin steps in.

"Yes, Captain?" she asks.

"It's food time, so come and eat!"

She smiles, but it isn't really genuine. Because he knows her real smile.

"It looks wonderful, chef-san. I think I'll get a plate and return to the library. I'm in the middle of a rather interesting book."

Sanji rises to put some food together for her, but he isn't spinning. Nami, Usopp, and Chopper all look relieved that she's leaving, while Zoro's just watching that intent way he does when he's distrustful of someone. And Luffy doesn't like this at all.

"You should eat with the rest of the crew," Luffy says.

"Luffy." Nami grinds her teeth the way she does when she's angry, which only makes Luffy frown more. "Don't push us so soon. We need time to _adjust."_

"Why? Robin's nakama."

"Nakama don't betray other nakama," his navigator replies tersely.

Luffy blinks in surprise.

"I apologize if it was interpreted that way, but I truly did intend to turn Mr. 2 over to the authorities to help clear the king's name," Robin states with a delicacy that Luffy doesn't really get.

"You should've said something to us," Usopp says wearily, rubbing his face. "Anything would have done."

"Why didn't you?" Chopper asks, and he's reserved and hurt in a way Luffy only remembers from when he first met the reindeer at the castle.

"There wasn't a good moment," Robin replies.

"I saw your face. You betrayed us." Nami's words are dark and they don't sound nice at all. Luffy doesn't like her voice like this and he usually likes everything about his nakama. He doesn't want to not like anything about his nakama ever.

"Nami," Luffy begins with an unhappy look twisting his features.

Nami's hands slam down on the table.

"How can you be so okay with this?! She betrayed us! She betrayed Vivi! She betrayed _you_!" Nami shouts accusingly, really hurt.

Luffy frowns. "She didn't really. Robin explained that she was trying to help. You should understand. It's just like the time you—" And the words die in his mouth. He was about to say " _Like the time you pretended to betray us and sell us out to Arlong,_ " but that didn't happen. He's thinking of a different world, a different woman. His vision blurs and he suddenly feels nauseous. It's only Ace's arms tightening around him that keeps him anchored to this reality. He doesn't get lost in that other place easily during the day, not like this. And it's really unexpectedly hard to keep his mind together.

"Like what?" Nami demands impatiently.

"I forgot what I was saying."

Nami lets out a frustrated groan.

"Robin's good, Nami," he presses, regaining his equilibrium. Because she is, she's so, so good, like Nami, like Sanji, like Zoro, like Chopper, like Usopp, like Franky, like Brook.

He stares at her with resolve, and Nami wavers before faltering.

"Fine. She cans stay on the ship and eat with us." She turns to Robin and says sharply, "Don't do that again."

Robin dips her head. She accepts Sanji's plate and takes a seat next to Marco, who engages her in a conversation about what sounds like books to Luffy. Everyone slowly picks up their conversations again. And the table is full. Which is nice, because food only tastes good when everyone on his crew is together. Well, together and _happy_. But nothing about this is happy or alright.

As a captain, it's his job to make his crew feel okay. But they aren't. Even last time, the distrust they had for Robin when she joined wasn't even close to how it is this time. So one of his actions in this timeline was wrong. He messed up somewhere. And now none of them are okay right now. It hurts. He can't find the energy to lift his meat shank up. It doesn't seem right to eat this awesome food in the joyous way he always does . . .

"Luffy?" It's Sanji, whose sharp eyes always watch all of them eat, who catches his lack of movement.

Luffy manages a smile and lifts the meat to take a bite, but finds his lips are tightly shut and won't open. He sets it down again, disturbed and unhappy.

Nami starts to say something, but is stopped when Ace stands up, bringing Luffy with him.

"We're going outside for a bit. Save him some meat, okay?"

Luffy lets his brother pull him out of the galley and onto the deck, shutting the wooden door behind them. He leads the pair of them to the _Going Merry's_ figurehead, but doesn't get on it. Ace just leans against the railing of the deck with a complicated look on his face.

"Luffy." Ace sighs after a long moment. "You can't keep doing this to yourself."

The teen captain just shakes his head. "I have to."

"Why?"

"I'm the captain. I have to make sure they're okay _._ "

"You can't _control_ them, Luffy!" Ace growls, and Luffy can't help but physically flinch back.

"I'm not!"

"You can't just _make_ them okay!"

Luffy frowns hard. "It's not like that at all, and you know it. And I can _help_ them be okay! I just talk and smile at them and give them a hug when they need it. They get okay, they feel better."

Ace pauses. "Okay, you may make people feel better, but it doesn't work all the time, even if you try. People are sometimes just not alright."

Luffy looks at the deck unhappily. "It used to. It worked before. I used to _know_ the combination. I used to know what to do to make things better for them."

"You still do! I've been watching you for over three weeks now." Ace stares at him pointedly. "They're your caring, eccentric nakama and you make sure they know it."

"But I can do it _better!_ I'm the captain, I have to. And I have nearly double the experience as last time, so why can't I nail it down? Why is it that Robin and Nami aren't friends? What did I do wrong? What did I overlook?"

"Luffy. Nami is her own person," Ace repeats what he said the night he first arrived. Though the words are familiar, they still make Luffy discomforted. He knows that . . . "Try to understand, she isn't the one you knew. She reacts differently to things. As her own person, she doesn't get along with Robin right now. You can't change her so she behaves like the other one!"

"It's hard!" Luffy utters, frustrated. "She's different, and I like this her a lot too, but I like the other her just as much. I want both parts to be one Nami."

"You can't."

"I'm not strong enough to make things alright for her. She's Nami. Whichever Nami, it doesn't matter. As her captain, I want to make the world right for her. And I'm not strong enough. She's unhappy, Ace."

"You aren't weak, Luffy. You're the undisputed champion of reshaping the world around you in ways no one thought possible." Ace smiles dryly before pulling on a serious expression. "But Luffy, you aren't perfect."

"I know that." He reaches forward and places his fist on Ace's chest, at the bottom of his ribs where he still sees a hole sometimes in his nightmares. He had never known defeat and failure like that before. He always pulled through before, by luck, tenacity, and friendship. But then Kuma beat him and his crew, and then Luffy couldn't protect Bon-chan.

And then Luffy couldn't protect _Ace._

He physically starts when Ace grasps his wrist and drags his arm up his chest. Luffy's hand skims over his brother's muscles, skin and ribs before Ace stops just below his collarbone.

Beneath his fist, Luffy feels the steady thumping of Ace's heart.

The twenty-year-old keeps him there, his grip like stone. He _forces_ Luffy to feel the blood pumping in his heart.

Luffy's breathing gradually evens out, which surprises him, because he doesn't know when it picked up so much.

He doesn't like being so upset, so emotionally turbulent like this— especially around his brother. But Luffy can't seem to help himself. He feels this hurricane of conflict in his mind so often these days. His nakama soothe the storm, calm the waters, but only Ace can banish the dark clouds away.

Not even Nami can understand the freak weather patterns of his worries and thoughts. But Ace can. Because Ace has them too. So while he doesn't like feeling this way and putting his burdens on his brother's mind, he shares his innermost concerns because Ace is the only one to understand.

"The point this time is to _not_ mess things up again." Luffy's voice is soft. Ace's grip tightens on his wrist, and Luffy meets his brother's intense black eyes.

"The point this time is to _live_ again— the both of us."

Luffy pauses for a long, long time.

Live.

He . . . he wants to do that.

"It took me a long time to figure this out after we came back. But we need to live our lives too, not just save everyone else's. So don't take everything on your shoulders," Ace says lowly and intently. "If we could change the world to be the way we wanted it to be, then it wouldn't be any fun, would it?"

"Yeah . . ." Luffy pauses and then smiles. "Yeah!" he exclaims more assuredly. Life is messy, and uncertain, and adventurous, and hard, and so, so happy. And Luffy feels it more than anything else right now.

"Ace is right."

"Always am," he jokes lightly. "So no more tears, okay?"

Luffy blinks with surprise and touches his cheeks. Sure enough, he finds wet trails on his face. At that exact moment, the galley opens and everyone filters onto the deck. Luffy tries to wipe the water away, but from the concerned and uncertain looks on his crew's faces, he doesn't think he managed it in time.

"Luffy," Chopper utters.

It's too late to stop them from seeing it, but he can smile now. So he does, widely and honestly and they relax a little.

Well, everyone except Marco, who looks exasperated and slightly concerned.

"We can stay another day if you need," Marco offers reluctantly. "The weather looks a little iffy, so we may want to wait a bit longer anyways." His disgruntled expression draws a bright laugh from Luffy.

"Nah, we're good. Aren't we, Luffy?" Ace asks.

Luffy beams. "Un!"

And that's all there really is to it. So after pressing a single kiss to Luffy's forehead, Ace goes to the other side of the railing and drops down onto the skipper.

"Bye Ace! Bye other guy!" Luffy chirps.

"It's Marco, you idiot," the blond mutters in exasperation as he joins his fellow commander on their small ship.

"See you in the New World, Luffy." Ace tilts his hat and his lower body erupts into flames. In seconds, he and Marco are skimming over the waters to the New World. Luffy watches them for a moment more, before turning back to his crew with an excited expression.

"Your brother is really nice," Nami says as the waves of his skipper settle.

"He is! Ace is the best!" Luffy smiles. "Now. Where are we gonna go next, Nami?"

She seems slightly startled by his sudden address. Or maybe it's his smile. He's really, really happy right now.

"I don't know. I lost my log pose in the cage, remember?" she admits.

"I think I may be able to help with that," Robin says smoothly. From one of her pockets, she pulls out another log pose.

"Oh. Lucky us." Nami accepts the gift and then examines it closely. Then she blinks. "Did you set this at Alabasta?"

"Yes."

"It's pointing up," Nami reports.

"Yes."

"Sky world! We're going to the clouds!" Luffy exclaims with delight. He can't wait to see Skypiea again!

"Do you think there's really an island in the sky?" Chopper asks Usopp.

Usopp's voice is boisterous. "Of course! Have I never told you about the things I saw during my years as an ace aviator?"

"We're going to end up somewhere weird, I can already tell," Zoro says with a sigh. "I better train."

"I think I might do a little research to try and clear some of this up for you, navigator-san," The archaeologist offers.

"That's—" Nami pauses. "Thank you, Robin."

The other woman dips her head.

"Sky stuff! Sky place! Sky people!" Luffy sings to himself excitedly. He starts heading towards the figure-head, but is cut off.

"You can't adventure without eating. I saved you some food, you shitty captain," Sanji says gruffly. His words aren't super nice, but he's wheeling out a cart of food for the teen captain. Luffy smiles and says thanks. He takes up a meat shank and hesitates for only a second or two, before tearing into the food.

Sanji looks like he's going to collapse with relief the way his posture loosens. He pulls out a cigarette and leans against the mast to smoke and watch Luffy.

And so Luffy eats the food. Not to feel good and full and awesome, but because he'll need his strength if he wants to adventure and feel better.

He'll need his strength so he can _live_ better.

* * *

"Home sweet home," Marco comments with a smile as the _Moby Dick_ comes into sight.

"Finally!"

Ace loves his brother. Dearly. But that vacation was more trying that it should have been. With Luffy repeatedly forgetting what happened next, Marco and he had been dragged into the entire mess. It worked out in that wonderful, Luffy-way— but still, he would have preferred to leave after checking out Rainbase. If he'd known Smoker was going to chase him into a trap, he wouldn't have stayed that extra day. Oh well. At least he was able to be there for his brother when he needed him.

Ace frowns as he remembers their last confrontation. He trusts his brother to work things out, but he knows it's going to be painful. He wishes he could be there for him— But they have their own lives, as intertwined with each other as they are. Neither of them have given up their dreams.

So, while Ace misses his spacey, overly energized, and incredible brother, he is glad to see the _Moby Dick_ again. He and Marco speed along beside it before Ace cuts the engine. Ladders drop immediately off the side of the ship.

"Took you long enough!" Thatch says as he helps them get back on board.

"It isn't my fault," Marco says, looking pointedly at Ace.

The second commander shakes his head. "Don't blame me, it's all Luffy's doing."

A booming laugh fills the ship, and Ace whips around to see his father is sitting on the deck, enormous sake cup in hand. The second commander is warmed to see their father waiting for them.

"I do not doubt that, from everything I've heard," Whitebeard says, smiling. "Welcome home, sons."

"It's good to be back," they reply in tandem.

A couple dozen crew members are on deck, and all of them greet them with smiles and claps on the shoulders.

"So, is it true that your brother tried to eat your head while you were sleeping?" a member of the sixth division asks.

"I want to hear about the paper-mâché mask he made you model for," someone from the back calls.

Ace turns at Marco with a livid look.

"You did not."

"I definitely did." Marco raises an eyebrow dryly. "After the things you two put me through, I am more than allowed to share some stories."

"Besides, as your brothers, your embarrassing stories belong to us anyways," Thatch chimes in, grinning. "You need to tell me the whole thing later on."

Marco deadpans. "No. Just thinking about the entire story is _exhausting._ "

"Travelling as you did, I am sure you're both exhausted," Whitebeard notes.

Ace and Marco nod wearily.

"Then take the rest of the day to recuperate. Tomorrow we set sail for the New World."

"Aye, Pops." Marco smiles.

"Aye," Ace answers, contentedly. He starts heading for his cabin when his father stops him.

"Before you go, would either of you like to explain how you ended up on the front cover of the newspaper?" Whitebeard asks, raising a copy of the paper. Ace blanches, because as he stares closer, he can definitely make out Marco's distinct hairstyle and his own cowboy hat in the corner of the photograph. The headline above reads A COUNTRY IN PEACE: AN USURPER UNMASKED.

"Well, everything was fine until we got to Rainbase. Alligator—" Ace looks upward. "Luffy you're too much. _Crocodile_ caged us, and everything went downhill from there. We didn't mean to get involved with a revolution, honestly. It's just Luffy's gravity. He pulls anything near him into his madness."

His words ignite laughter, but he isn't joking.

Marco seems to understand. "Seriously. I don't want to get ten meters close to that kid until I've had time to mentally heal."

"Luffy will do that to you." Ace smiles blindingly. His little brother is ridiculous and beyond impossible. He'd never want it any other way.

* * *

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **I really debated about whether to do that last section with Ace and Luffy. At the end of the day, I chose to leave it in because I thought it was important for Luffy's development on the Nami issue. It is a bit OOC, but I think considering how seriously Luffy takes his crew's happiness, it makes just enough sense for me to get away with it. Do you agree?**

 **Along with Chopper's section, I also wrote Vivi's at a different time than the rest of the chapter. Similarly, I ended up really liking the way it turned out. Not as much as Chopper's, but enough. I never really thought Vivi was that stand-out of a character- moreso than the rest of the OP side-cast that comes with a specific arc- but as I started writing her section, I realized how much time she must have spent with all of he Straw Hats. In direct correlation, I saw how her character changed, and I find that I like her a lot more now. I sort of wonder if that will be the case with other side characters.**

 **On an unrelated note, we're inching ever closer to 100,000 words!~**

 **Thanks for reading! Drop a review if you're so inclined. Either way, I'll see y'all next week.**


	13. For You, Blue

**It's been a while, and I'm sorry. I was momentarily swept away by October.**

 **But, I really must say wow. Everyone's patience with me is astonishing! I have so many people to thank this time around!**

 **Thanks to my wonderful reviewers who have continually reminded me to keep on chugging. Thank you: Kiddiluna, Cowpog-GreenBean, xXxAnimexLoverxXx, Simon G, Guest (09/25/15), dancingjadedragon, Trainer Azurite, Zelga Lim Li, of Serendip, Vandenberg, Jisca, duhorcommonsense, BeASlumberingDragon, Yana5, MeganeD-chan, Ginshi-chan, XxAceLawxX, Kokos, xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx, Bileth, The Mightier Pen, Nala1220, dinno, TheFLO, Guest (2nd for 09/25/15), Talon of soaring Eagle, Sea Rover Tactician, lany-chan, DaYaNa1997, haliona, Rin-s666, Flaerons, Cloudedguardian, Shannon Rei D. Sumner, LongPastMidnight, Tibki [2], braveleo5, Guest (10/01/15), otakujijo, Friendly Reader, TheLonelyQuartet, EmptySurface [10 reviews. And none were short. Just wow.], kyuubi lover 98, dowtdee, kerov, DeborahBee, Currently Blank [12 reviews. One per chapter. Color me stunned.] Shadowstalker, ur fan, Jmw, laddien, Spyrkle10, Zaralann, Obnoxious Mouse, hansolo18, Reminiscence Awry, Gelasia Kidd, and jenjen14!**

 **Your reviews made my day repeatedly~ The long ones were expecially interesting to read. Also, I appreciate Billie21 and BLinded Cat who messaged me with concern for my wellbeing. Cheers. Beyond that, a reviewer told me someone rec'd my fic on tumblr, so thanks to whoever did that too!**

 **I'm stunned and humbled, and that's really all I can say to express how wonderfully surprised I am at this response.**

 **Lastly, I must extend much love to my betas breather and HadenXCharm, who have stuck by me for this long project!**

 **So, without further ado . . .**

* * *

 _Chapter 13: For You, Blue_

* * *

Nami winces as her heel scrapes against the leather back of her new shoes. It was supposed to be a small expedition into the jungle to find the south bird that Nolan told them about. A mad-dash chase through the thicket after a crazy tropical bird wasn't really what she had in mind when preparing to leave. She scowls; that bird is _dangerous._ Carefully trapped in Zoro's net, it isn't going anywhere, but Nami still steers clear. She should already know by this point that any campaign Luffy leads is bound to involve a lot of running. Nami thought it would be alright since she was just wearing little spool heels, but she forgot that she hasn't broken them in yet. Hence the continual throb of pain coming from her feet. She's going to get blisters for sure.

Her mouth opens to complain, but then shuts slowly with a small click. Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, Robin, and Luffy walk beside and in front of her in the haphazard formation that's continually changing in direct correlation with the sporadic shifts of Luffy's attention, thoughts, and whims. The navigator forgets sometimes that Vivi is no longer here.

It's strange that someone she only knew for a month or two has left such a mark on her. Vivi's absence leaves the strangest displacement in the air around her. There's a void that her blue-haired nakama once occupied. Nami knew she would miss Vivi, but she didn't really realize how much the lack of her steadfast female companion would affect her. Not being able to complain about the blisters her heels are giving her feet is one small detail on a rapidly growing list.

She misses having another woman on board. Nami loves her crew, but Luffy and Zoro are both incredibly masculine in their own _very_ different ways. Sanji trips over himself to revel in her gender, sometimes in ways that are too much for her (and she'd never ask for sympathy from him— he'd literally sweep Nami off her feet and refuse to let her walk for the next week without crying, hovering, and worrying). Usopp projects and lies to create an image of a macho man. And Chopper imitates them often, sometimes without realizing it. The lack of a calming female presence bothers her. Vivi was a very good foil for her. The navigator is perfectly aware of her occasionally brash and abrasive personality. She knows the ways of daintiness and femme fatal and chooses when and when not to use them, while Vivi had an innate delicacy and constant diplomacy in all of her words and actions. It was nice to occasionally be the loud, ridiculous one, and not to have to be the level-headed one in charge of all the idiots.

Oh, how she misses her female friend.

Of course, Nami isn't the only female on the _Going Merry._ She knows this. She even acknowledges that the other woman has that sort of calm, methodical way of thinking that Nami enjoys in a friend. But that doesn't change the fact that the other woman is _Robin_ , or Miss All-Sunday, or who knew how many other aliases she's sailed under. Her switch from Miss All-Sunday to the quiet, polite Robin who only wants to help is too sudden, is too much. The archeologist's quick change of personality only makes Nami doubt her every word and intention.

In addition, Nami hasn't forgiven her for what she did to Vivi's country. Even if she somehow didn't have a direct hand in the events (which Nami doubts quite heavily), she joined and perpetuated the longevity of an organization that drove Vivi to tears, tore into her sleep with tremble-inducing nightmares. That fact sits and simmers in the back of Nami's mind, occasionally reaching a boil when she isn't paying enough attention. She tries to stop it, but forgetting about who Robin really is has only gotten harder as time passes. Mostly because everyone seems to be forgetting.

Chopper, though still a bit wary, has begun complimenting the archeologist when she adds her two cents to the discussions they have. Nami admits that her knowledge of things utterly obscure does come in handy when they're trying to find an island in the sky that may or may not actually exist, but still . . . He shouldn't be so quick to accept her as a crew member. It doesn't make up for what she's done in the slightest.

Sanji's acceptance is somewhat excusable. She's a woman. That's really all there is to it.

Usopp is wary of Robin, which is nice, except it's mostly because of how she sometimes says morbid things offhand. It creeps Usopp out, but it doesn't breed distrust within him. Not like it should, anyways.

Zoro seems like the only one she can really rely on to keep an eye on Robin with her. Unfortunately, when she was complaining to him about Robin's decidedly real betrayal, Zoro shrugged it off.

" _Who knows if she meant it or not. Luffy seems to think she only wanted to help."_

That's just it though; she and Zoro are supposed to help Luffy. They're the ones to correct him when he's wrong, keep him safe, keep all their _hearts_ safe. It's like Zoro's distrust is perfunctory because of her background and because he's the first mate, not because of the dangerous and conniving woman Robin _still_ is.

Of course, it goes without saying that Luffy is Robin's biggest supporter. He chats with her, he laughs brightly at her weird jokes, he dances with her now and again, he asks Robin about her dream (admittedly, Nami does not know what the dream is exactly, but she doesn't really want to. Whatever the other woman's dream is, it left a positive impact on Luffy, and Nami strives to be objective), and he grins at her with sheer trust. It's the way he grins at the rest of the crew, and Nami doesn't want Robin to have that pleasure, that gift. It shouldn't be so easy to dole out— it _wouldn't_ be, if it were anyone but Luffy. But it _is_ her captain, so Nami can only sigh and acknowledge that he is capable of an incredible faith that still stuns her. She sometimes wishes she could throw her anxieties and paranoia to the wind like he does, and just accept people as they come. But she can't. Her time with Arlong, relatively short as it was, taught her that trust isn't something to give implicitly. Only Luffy bypasses that fact.

So she takes it upon herself to be wary, to keep a sharp eye on the other woman.

And Nami knows that her distrust of Robin hurts Luffy on a deep, fundamental level. She still remembers the awful breakfast they had when Robin was wisely avoiding them but Luffy refused to take it. Nami knows she wasn't the only one to notice that Luffy couldn't _eat_. No matter the context, that should never be a thing, regardless of how much all of them gripe about his ridiculous habits. Before she could ask him, beseech him to stop and be okay again, Ace had physically picked him up and left. And after a breakfast which had been completely bereft of the usual energy and joy, they exited the galley to see Luffy _crying._ Nami had never seen her captain cry. And it's very likely it has to do with the way they were treating Robin. Of course he smiled, and it all but evaporated the tear tracks on his face, but the last thing the navigator wants to do is cause Luffy pain. It hurts that she is the cause of it, and unable to support him as an objective friend . . . So she's glad that when she unknowingly damaged him deeply, Ace was there. Hard as it is to admit, Ace seems to have the ability to soothe the pains that none of them can sense at times.

Luffy deserves to have such a wonderful and considerate brother in his life. Just thinking about their combined smiles and contagious laughter lightens Nami's heart considerably. It reminds her, in a way too pure to bring pain, of Nojiko and all of her fond memories with her beloved sister.

She smiles to herself and ploughs on through the jungle grass, tree roots, and vines littering their way. Her feet still throb, but positive thoughts and pleasant memories occupy her attention nicely.

Finally, they exit the brush.

"This bird had better be worth the trouble," Usopp gripes. "If Skypiea doesn't exist, I'm going to let Luffy eat it."

Zoro grunts. "Quit whining, it—"

"Nolan!" Chopper exclaims, cutting the swordsman off.

Nami's eyes jerk towards the house, and she finds their recent friend bruised and bleeding on the ground. Everyone immediately runs over. Chopper shouts for someone to call a doctor, until Robin kindly reminds him that he himself is a doctor.

Nami's anger spikes as a similarly battered looking Masira and Shoujou explain that they were attacked by some pirate named Bellamy who took Nolan's precious gold. The cruelty and audacity of people never ceases to astonish the navigator.

"But we didn't go into town."

Nami turns around to face her captain, whose face is blanker than usual. To be honest, the navigator didn't even know there was a town on this island until Nolan told them (Luffy's luck had struck again when they docked on the side of Nolan's house, seemingly randomly, and stumbled across possibly the _only_ person on the entire ocean with knowledge of Skypiea). Though she wants to buy some new clothes, and Sanji wants to restock on food, no one on the crew has been to the town. So why is Luffy mentioning it?

"What?" Usopp asks.

"We didn't go into town," Luffy repeats.

"What does that have to do with what happened here?" Sanji asks.

"We didn't go into town, so why did—" Their captain cuts himself off. He pauses for a long moment before readjusting his hat so it covers his eyes. "Ace told me the world doesn't revolve around me," he murmurs cryptically. And okay, Luffy can be confusing, but not cryptic. She won't take cryptic.

"Luffy—"

But he's already begun to walk off.

"Where are you going?" Sanji asks.

"Do you perhaps intend to reclaim the gold, Luffy-kun?" Robin asks, knowingly.

"Of course." He doesn't even turn around.

"Come on then, Marimo, before you go and get lost," Sanji says, putting out his cigarette beneath his boot and following after their captain.

"Shitty-cook, the only reason you find your way is because you're following behind Nami or Robin like a dog."

"How dare you!"

"My, my, this will be interesting." Robin laughs lightly and joins as well.

Being the responsible one, Nami looks to Nolan. "Do we have time?"

"The knockup stream won't hit until twelve tomorrow. It's best to leave a few hours early, so you all have six hours. It takes two or three hours to get to town. I suppose it just depends on how quickly your captain can fight off Bellamy."

Nami's shoulders relax and an assured smirk slips over her lips subconsciously. "We'll make it back in time."

"Well then. We—" Nolan grunts in pain as he levers himself up. "We will get your ship ready."

"You shouldn't be moving so much with how injured you are," Chopper says worriedly. Nolan's eyes are determined, and Nami knows he won't be convinced by anything the doctor has to say. On occasion, Nami feels bad for the reindeer because all of his patients are so unruly and unwilling to take his medical advice seriously. Usopp looks impressed and a little put off by Nolan's determination and seeming numbness to his smattering of injuries.

"Why don't you stay and monitor him, Chopper," Nami offers. The reindeer looks relieved by her words and exhales.

"Good idea. You two better hurry though." He gestures to the rest of the crew who are already a fair way down the beach.

"I'll stay too and help with repairs. Captain Usopp will let Luffy try his hand at it. And, not to brag, but I am quite the carpenter." Usopp flexes his arms and pats the muscle. "I once built a mansion for the fairy princess who visited my village some years ago. She was lost on her way to find the hero who would save her fairy people from the persecution of the evil trout king. She had only stopped for rest, but little did she know _I_ was the hero she was looking for."

"Really?!" Chopper asks.

Nami smiles before turning and hurrying after the rest of her crew. The running hurts her feet, but she's too excited to miss out on this. Sanji and Zoro spend the time during their walk verbally fighting, filling the air with familiar, meaningless chatter. Robin keeps to herself, as she often does. Luffy is just as quiet, which Nami sort of expects by this point. When it comes to friends, he assumes a seriousness beyond his actual age (seventeen, not the age he acts which places him between seven and twelve). His occasional sudden shifts to stoicism don't really bother Nami anymore. To be frank, she's excited to see her captain kick this _Bellamy_ person's ass with the seriousness he rarely portrays. The navigator missed her captain beating up Crocodile, which she would have paid _billions_ of beri to witness in person. Seeing his utterly mangled form covered in bruises and blood was pretty nice, she admits. And the joyous astonishment on Vivi's face was beyond invaluable.

They reach Mocktown in a bit over two hours, despite the relatively sedate pace. Entering the main street of the town with the majority of her crew is like walking on air. It's late, but for many, the night has only begun. The streets are still relatively full, so stares and whispers follow every member of their party. Flanking their captain on each side, they look _powerful,_ and Nami feels it keenly. With Luffy heading the charge with his incredibly determined expression, Nami isn't afraid of anything. Wonderful, reckless adrenaline fills her, and she lets the fierce currents take her anywhere the rapids lead.

Their captain walks through the main street before stopping outside of what looks like a bar. Nami can hear sounds of partying, laughter, and the merriment that comes after a successful raid. That's about to end.

"Bellamy!" Luffy shouts. The din inside the pub hitches for a moment, and murmurs follow.

After a moment or two, a man exits from the swinging doors followed by a moderate crowd of spectators. The man's spiky blond hair is set above eyes too wide and too wild to be trusted as sane. He aims that unsettling gaze on them, seeming to know right away who called to him.

"Who are you all supposed to be?" he asks. "Wannabe pirates? I don't give out autographs, kiddies."

The group behind him bursts out into laughter.

Their mocking, petty nature would normally set off Nami's temper, but in this instance she feels cool and collected. Because these people have no idea who they're dealing with.

"Give Nolan's treasure back," Luffy states.

His words make the laughter stop, and surprise and amusement take its place.

"Friends of that old coot?" Bellamy asks.

"Hey, wait, Bellamy, I think I recognize that kid. Yeah, that stupid hat. He's got to be Straw Hat Luffy," a man wearing a fur coat says to Bellamy. "We saw his wanted poster earlier. 50,000,000 beri, remember?"

Bellamy smirks. "50,000,000 isn't bad, but it doesn't really compare to 55,000,000 beri. Those five million beri make all the difference. It's what separates the real pirates from the wannabes."

Over her months with her captain, Nami has learned not to judge anything by its appearance, and even less so to trust the numbers on a wanted poster. Because 50,000,000 beri does not represent her captain's strength at all. And relying on what the posters tell him instead of his gut will be Bellamy's downfall.

Luffy hasn't reacted to a single word. "Give Nolan's treasure back."

"Wow, you are really desperate for a fight," the man with the fur coat says. "Just give it to him, Bellamy. It'll be a good laugh."

"You have a point, Sarkies." Bellamy grins. "Pay attention as I show you what a real pirate is!"

With no further warning, Bellamy crouches down. His legs suddenly melt into coils and he leaps forward towards Luffy so quickly that his features blur. Nami and every other Straw Hat present hastily move out of the way, all while keeping their attention glued to the fight. Luffy doesn't even twitch, even as the attack grows startlingly nearer. He looks up from the shade of his hat, and his eyes seem to sharpen somehow. With a slight twist of his torso and a step to the left, Bellamy flies headfirst to the other end of the street, smashing into a building. Even as Luffy's clothes settle after the rush of air from Bellamy's attack, he doesn't fidget or twitch, remaining as still as a statue. In fact, had Nami blinked she doubts she would have noticed he moved at all.

"What a lucky punk," Sarkies utters from the back. Though the crowd was utterly silent after Bellamy's failed charge, some of them start regaining their bravado, smirking about the 'brat's' uncommon luck.

A sudden shift in the air pressure around them is the only reason Nami knows Bellamy is attacking again. Similar to the first attempt, Bellamy rockets himself towards Luffy with startling speed. And just like last time, Luffy shifts ever so slightly out of the way, making Bellamy crash into a street sign. Luffy's impressively effortless feat is only made more incredible by the fact he was facing away from his assailant. Beyond that, Nami and the rest of her crew are close enough to realize that their captain's eyes are actually _closed._ The navigator hears Zoro's breathing pick up, and a slight rattling from his swords as he grips the hilts tighter.

Nami is similarly amazed. She knows her captain is strong; she's seen him effortlessly dispose of opponent after opponent without much strain at all. But those were small fries from the East Blue. Their first real battle with someone with the strength of the Grand Line was Crocodile. And Luffy returned without even a _scratch._ Nami remembers very suddenly that Luffy took out Arlong when he was around twelve . . . she has really underestimated his strength, hasn't she?

Sanji's expression is close to Zoro's, of tense amazement and self-analysis, but he has the added trait of curiosity, as though he senses there's something more to Luffy's dodging than just miraculous speed. But what else could it be?

Robin looks utterly unaffected, and has a mild smile on her face. Nami recalls that she and Luffy met in the past and wonders how strong he had been then to generate such an unsurprised reaction.

"Oi, stop messing around." Sarkies' voice is more strained, though still filled with bluster. "Just finish him off with _that."_

Bellamy, whose expression had been stormy with anger and a trace of fear, suddenly grows self-assured. He lifts himself fully from the wreckage and grins wickedly.

"Well, you're much stronger than I expected, being such a runt." Bellamy's eyes grow even crazier. "You should be honored that I'm going to finish you off with my most powerful attack!"

Crouching once more, Bellamy's hands start twisting and changing into springs as well. With a powerful push off the ground, he sends himself hurtling to the clock tower, then the bar, then a house and Bellamy is all over the main street at once. His voice, hard to hear over the wind, is laced with breathless laughter.

"You realize now what a fool you are to challenge me? Just as foolish as Nolan with his island in the sky! This is the end for you, Straw Hat!" With great momentum, Bellamy shoots towards Nami's captain.

Unlike the last two times, Luffy doesn't move to dodge at all. Instead he raises his hands and _catches_ Bellamy's coiled feet. The inertia makes him slide back a foot or so and a great gust of wind sweeps past him. Bellamy is stopped dead in his tracks with a serious case of whiplash. Gasps and shouts of disbelief echo from the crowd and most especially Sarkies.

And to be honest, Nami's stunned too. She pictured her captain dodging or punching the blond pirate. Watching Luffy take a hold of his quick, powerful legs with such ease is eye-widening.

Bellamy, to his credit, doesn't give up. After shaking the daze from his mind, the pirate pulls his lower body up and aims a springy fist towards Nami's captain. But Luffy is quicker. He shoves a sandaled foot into the other pirate's stomach sending him sprawling down the road, kicking up dust and dirt and making cracks spider web around Bellamy's final landing spot. Gasps and shrieks sound, but it falls silent as Luffy slowly walks towards Bellamy. His pace is calm. There is no swagger in his step or pride in his strength. And Nami adores this quality in her captain. Because he never tries to frighten the people around him, or intimidate them with shows of power. He just _is_ strong, and inspires awe and fear from his cool behavior. When he reaches Bellamy, who is twitching and trying to raise himself, he places a foot on his chest to keep him pinned.

"Give Nolan's treasure back," he says a third time, simply.

"Y—you brat!"

Luffy lifts his leg to deliver a final blow, when someone starts shouting from one of the side streets, hidden by the crowd.

"Hey, Bellamy, Sarkies! They released new bounties! Are you done with that brat yet?" A man pushes himself to the front of the silent crowd and his jaw absolutely drops. "B—Bellamy?!" Then his eyes drift to Luffy and he pales even further.

"You're Straw Hat Luffy!" He points. "The man worth 150,000,000 beri!"

And Nami doesn't think there is a single person present who isn't stunned by the number; even the ever-impassive Robin has wide eyes. Luffy's bounty _tripled._ Only her captain remains unaffected, his leg still hovering over Bellamy.

Shaking like a leaf, the blond pirate shouts, "Take it! Just take the old man's treasure! I—it's on the bar counter."

After a tense moment, Luffy lowers his leg back to the ground, and walks into the bar. He reappears a minute or two later with the gold wrapped in a brown cloth tied to his back. And as he walks back towards them, almost everyone flinches, especially Bellamy. But Luffy's eyes, while still rather serious, are no longer dangerous in the slightest. He silently starts heading out of town, back the way they came, and the rest of the Straw Hat pirates follow after, except Nami, who takes a minute to memorize this moment.

The navigator was right; it felt _good_ watching him get someone for hurting their friends.

Nami can't help herself, she turns to Bellamy.

"It's that 95,000,000 beri that makes the difference between the pirates and the wannabes." She shrugs. "But even if your bounty was 200,000,000, you'd never be anything else."

* * *

Luffy both really likes and really hates Foxy. On one hand, he does make tons of fun games. On the other, he kept threatening to take Luffy's nakama. For some reason, the teen captain thought he'd be better at some of the games since he was doing them for a second time, but he strangely wasn't. They were still as weird and confusing as last time. Well, at least the fight he had with Foxy went much better. Those traps were sort of annoying, but with a little Observation Haki it all worked out pretty quickly. And at the end of the day, all of them had a bit of fun. So Luffy figures it was worth it. After Luffy's fight with that jerk Enel, which while easy, was as serious and annoying as last time, a fun, relaxed day with his crew is just what he needed.

Now they're heading back to Tonjit's house to try and help the man and his horse, Shelly, get to a different island. Luffy knows it isn't he and his crew that will help Shelly and Tonjit, but Aokiji.

Luffy's brow furrows. After breaking through the thicket, they reach the clearing. Behind a tall rock, Luffy sees the admiral again. A strange ambivalence fills his chest.

Chopper runs forward to collect what he assumed to be a mushroom, like he did last time. Like last time, he bumps into the tall admiral's legs and falls down. After stirring, the reindeer looks up and his jaw falls open.

"It's a person!"

Like last time, they approach Aokiji warily as he slowly tugs off his sleeping mask.

But unlike last time, when Robin staggers and her legs give out from beneath her, Luffy is there to catch his nakama. Everyone on the crew is startled by Robin's wide, terrified eyes, but Luffy's gaze is on the admiral.

"Aokiji," he states.

"Who is Aokiji?" Nami asks.

"He's an admiral in the Marines." Luffy's lips are twisted down unhappily.

Aokiji blinks. "You know me? Robin must be chattier than our intel reported," he says. "That or your grandfather's been talking about me."

"Luffy's grandfather?" Usopp asks with confusion. "Why would Luffy's grandpa know you?"

Only Robin's hands, which clench and unclench against his vest in disconcertingly sporadic bursts, keep Luffy from making a face and paling with fear because of his violent grandpa and his stupid Fist of Love.

"He talks," Luffy eventually manages, swallowing back the traumatic memories with a shudder.

"Then I should be honored. Your grandfather is a great man. He did me a real favor once, kid," Aokiji says. A yawn breaks over his face and he seems likely to fall asleep again any second. Luffy knows better than to lower his guard.

"Are admirals strong?" Chopper asks nervously.

"The admirals are known as the World Government's powerhouses," Robin explains mechanically. "There are only three on the sea: Aokiji, Kizaru, and Akainu. Only the Fleet Admiral is above them in strength. The three admirals and the fleet commander are the four strongest fighters in the entire Marines."

Luffy's body shivers with pure hatred and rage. If he ever meets Akainu . . . But Robin's tense with concern, so he forces himself to relax for her. Taking a deep breath and then exhaling, the teen captain turns to Aokiji.

"What do you want?" Luffy asks bluntly.

"Not here to make a fuss or anything, just visiting this nice little island." The admiral's emotionless eyes lazily sweep the area before coming to rest on Robin. "Though I am also supposed to do a little reconnaissance for the Marines."

"What do you want from Robin-schwan?" Sanji asks, noting Aokiji's intent gaze on the archeologist. Luffy smiles. Because even though they just explained how dangerous this guy really is, Sanji has that narrow gaze that tells the teen captain he's willing to fight.

"Nico Robin hasn't been seen since the Alabasta incident. The World Government likes to keep an eye on her, you see. And now I can tell them that she's with you and your crew, like we suspected."

"Okay. Now you know. So leave." Luffy's voice is cold, he knows, but he has a knot of emotions in his chest. Like Foxy, he likes and hates the admiral. When they reach the New World, Aokiji is actually a somewhat alright guy. But Luffy can never fully forgive him for the pain he caused Robin— _is_ causing Robin. She still won't stop shaking . . .

Aokiji pauses. Luffy's chilly dismissal of him makes his brow furrow.

"I don't think you know exactly who you're sailing with, kid."

"I do." Luffy knows his nakama better than he knows himself sometimes.

"Oh really?" The admiral's brow raises.

"This is Robin, she likes books," Luffy introduces, ignoring the incredulous expression everyone, including Robin, is giving him. "She doesn't like super sweet teas, or hard candies. Her sense of humor is really funny even though some people think it's weird because she talks about death sometimes. She likes putting together skulls and uncovering old things. She's our archeologist _._ She has a dream. She's _nakama_. That's who Robin is."

"Y— yeah!" Chopper stutters. "She's our friend! Leave her alone!"

"We won't let you hurt Robin-schwan," Sanji says. From beside him, Zoro puts his hand on the hilt of one of his blades. Even Nami is slowly reaching towards her Clima-tact.

"Every group she's joined she's betrayed." Instead of giving an impression of skepticism, Luffy gets a feeling that Aokiji is somehow concerned for them.

"Don't care." Luffy deadpans.

"What?" Aokiji asks.

"We weren't there. So why the hell should I believe what you're saying? Besides, now she's here with _us_ , and that's what matters."

The admiral rubs his face tiredly. "Kid, you are as stupid and reckless as your grandfather."

Luffy stares at him impassively. "If you know him, then you know I'm serious when I say to leave Robin alone."

"Like I said, I owe your grandfather a favor. I think it would be the polite thing to do to get rid of this traitor before she kills you."

"Let me handle this," he says to his crew, before narrowing his eyes on his target. "I won't let you do that."

Aokiji runs forward. Robin tries to break from his grip and cross her hands over her chest or even push him away, but Luffy holds strong. He's ready this time. He won't let the admiral hurt her again.

Aokiji pulls back one fist and sends it hurtling towards the pair of them. Luffy finally removes one of his hands from Robin, and darts forward to catch the admiral's punch. And catch it he does. The admiral is considerably stunned. Luffy grips the other man's fist and pushes him away with a strong shove. Aokiji lets himself get pushed back, and he regards them more seriously and warily. The Armament Haki took the admiral off-guard. He's reevaluating Luffy, scanning him more intently. And the teen captain wants him thinking and checking himself again. He doesn't want to fight here; his nakama aren't strong enough, and if he goes all out and defeats Aokiji, which is a definitely possibility, his bounty will skyrocket. If he doesn't win, well . . .

Everything's too uncertain. Luffy has no idea what will happen if they fight right now. He doesn't want to know, so he closes his eyes.

Honing his inner focus, he narrows the scope of his spiritual energy solely on Aokiji, and opens the levies, letting the power flood out of him.

As his spirit sweeps over him, Aokiji visibly freezes. His sluggish eyes widen, and his mouth actually falls slightly open.

"You have—" The admiral blinks and then lets out a laugh. "Since you're his grandson, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

No one says a word.

Aokiji lets out a sigh. "You know what, this is more work than I want to do right now. I'm technically on vacation. So I'll let you go this one time without telling anyone, as a favor to your grandfather."

The admiral is telling the truth. So Luffy gives him one last look and turns towards his crew.

"Let's get out of here." He starts walking.

All of them warily file in after him and Robin, who's still in his grasp.

Usopp starts. "Ah, what about—"

"Aokiji. Up that way there's a house with a guy and his horse. You should freeze the ocean so he can cross to the next island."

Done and done. He turns and carries on. After a few seconds of hesitation, the rest of his crew does too.

Luffy finally notices how shaky and sweaty Robin is, and recognizes the symptoms.

"Ah, sorry. I got you a bit too, didn't I?"

"I—it's alright, Luffy-kun." She manages a wan smile. "You've gotten much stronger since I first met you."

Luffy blinks at her before grinning.

"Of course! I have to be really powerful so I can protect my nakama. They need to be safe so they can get strong too and go after their dreams!" Luffy stares at her meaningfully, and he feels incredibly content when he sees warmth returning to her eyes.

She's alright. He laughs and finally releases her from his grip. Impatient and full of pent-up energy, Luffy throws his hands in the air.

"Alright! Let's shove off! I need another adventure. And a new nakama! We're going to get a shipwright on the next island!"

"Don't just say stuff like that," Nami scolds. "If we come across a good one we'll try and pick them up, but we're not going to get one at the next island just because you said so!"

"That's right! The Merry only gets the best of the best." Usopp nods determinedly.

Sanji spins forward. "I hope it's another lovely woman like Robin-schwan and Nami-chan~"

"I hope it's a big burly guy," Zoro says dryly. "If there are too many women, you're not going to get anything done because you'll be mooning over them like a love-sick fool."

"How dare you! Only someone as stupid and uncouth as you can't appreciate the beauty that lovely women as Nami-chan and Robin-schwan bring to the world and our ship."

"I hope it's a woman too, if only to avoid picking up another weirdo like you all," Nami says, sniffing.

"Robin, what do you think they'll be like?" Chopper asks, walking to the archeologist's side.

"Strange, I imagine, if empirics are anything to go by." She smiles mildly.

Luffy doesn't bother saying anything, because he already knows what they're like. He can't wait to see Franky again!

Everything's coming together more and more. His crew gradually strays closer to Robin as they return to the ship, pinning her in the middle of their small crowd, and Luffy feels indescribable glee.

With Franky and Brook, things will be better than okay.

* * *

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 **Admittedly, this chapter is not that long, but it's leading up to Water Seven which is definitely the longest chapter so far.**

 **Ah, I do so love that Bellamy scene. Feedback on Aokiji's interaction would be dearly appreciated, but you can also leave a comment/critique/compliment. I'm not picky. A review, any review, shows me someone's listening.**

 **The wait for this next chapter will be nowhere near as long as this one, but I can't give you all an exact date. It's finished though, so it will be posted. :)**

 **Thanks for reading!~**


	14. If I Needed Someone

**Here I am. One week later exactly! Belated happy Halloween, and cheers to November.**

 **Thanks go out to: Lunapok, TheFLO, overpricedinsanity, myvividreams[2 reviews], Nala1220, Jisca, BeASlumberingDragon, xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx, Zelga Lim Li, Bileth, Yana5, Zaralann, Onion-san, duhorcommonsense, DemonicAngel606, Kokos, Bobari, Guest (10/25/15), Ginshi-chan, kazers, Flareons, Reign of Rayne, D. Akisira R.T.M.S., snowofhope, Guest [#2(10/25/15)], Trich, BlackGryphon101, DeborahBee, Guest [#3(10/25/15)], MangaFreak15, Currently Blank, 123, lany-chan, Rin-s666, MeganeD-chan, Friendly Reader, twilley, owieey [2 reviews], Molten Thunder, and Okakujijo!**

 **Did you notice we hit 400? I did! I really appreciate the feedback on Aokiji.**

 **So this is the chapter that is the longest, has been read over and reedited the most, and probably my favorite so far.** **I'm too lazy to quote all of it word-for-word, so this is my original-ish take on the arc. I wrote this while keeping in mind the fact that Luffy is so simpleminded and straightforward that it hurts sometimes.**

 **Sooooo much love to my betas breather and HadenXCharm. They've helped so much!**

 **Here we go . . .**

* * *

 _Chapter 14: If I Needed Someone_

* * *

Robin smiles while Usopp, Chopper, and Luffy let out cheers and start dancing around deck as they finally dock. Their excitement is entirely understandable; Water 7 is a beautiful, seemingly enchanted island of cascading fountains and white-washed tiers. The archeologist is eager to take in the sights and perhaps find a few new books as well. Luffy seems more anticipatory than usual, which makes her smile. Though they aren't here for anything other than repairs, Robin knows better than to expect an uneventful trip. She also doesn't doubt Luffy's words some time ago about finding a shipwright here (which is amusing considering that he said they'd get one at the next island, and lo and behold, the next island is one of the most famous ship-making cities in the world). Islands and cities may seem mysterious and enchanted, but they truly have nothing next to Luffy.

"Alright then, Usopp, Luffy, let's get this treasure exchanged for beri," Nami says authoritatively as she finishes tying knots around the brown cloth holding the gold and jewels they got from Skypiea. Three large bundles of incredible treasure sit before them, and Robin has no doubt that they have enough to fix the _Going Merry._ Which will be good for all of their nerves, as Usopp has been flitting around for the past couple weeks like a panicked butterfly because of all the damage the _Going Merry_ amassed during their arrival and eventual descent from Skypiea.

Luffy shakes his head. "I'm not going."

Nami rolls her eyes. "We have to. If we don't exchange the treasure, we can't fix the Merry," she explains.

"Exactly!" Usopp seconds. "So grab a bag, Luffy!"

"Take Sanji. I want to go check out some shipyards with Robin."

Robin blinks with surprise while everyone else on the crew stares at her. Most pointed of all the stares is Nami's, as it usually is. Though the navigator has let up on a lot of her blatantly distrustful behavior (something Robin suspects has more to do with a certain unhappy breakfast after Alabasta than anything else), it still shows itself every now and again whenever she's forced away from Robin and Luffy, like now. Robin still hasn't been able to clarify if the emotions are jealousy driven, or if the navigator is merely incredibly cautious.

Robin personally has no problems with the plan and knows by now that there is no point in questioning the reasoning behind Luffy's whims.

"That sounds nice." She heads for the boarding platform before waiting. "After you, Luffy-kun."

"It's just Luffy!" he protests, but his excited smile hasn't dimmed in the slightest.

"I'd love to help you, Nami-chan~" Sanji says from behind them. With everything taken care of, Luffy jumps off the boat and starts for town. Robin follows after with a more sedate pace. Thankfully, her captain waits for her to catch up before he actually enters the city.

The interior of Water 7 is even more beautiful than the outside suggests. The streets and houses are made from clean, white marble, and all the roofs are tiled with red terracotta. Every street is lined by a waterway, making it even more aesthetically pleasing. From what Robin's heard, she imagines that this is possibly similar to what Goa Kingdom may look like, filled with clean streets and impressive buildings. Goa Kingdom is renowned throughout the waters for being the cleanest city in the world . . . but Luffy's words from years ago filter back into her mind.

" _That place isn't nice at all! They dump all their trash in Grey Terminal!"_

She wonders if there are similarly devious matters running beneath the white, pristine streets that outsiders are not privy to.

Robin contentedly follows her captain as he walks through the town. She's relatively certain he has no idea where he's going, but it gives Robin plenty of time to take in the sights and enjoy the city. And besides, things will work out eventually, as they always do with her captain. After an hour or two, Luffy leads them out of the city, towards a strange house built on the outskirts of the island. Glancing at her captain, Robin wonders if she should try and redirect them. Luffy's assured expression tells her not to; it tells her that he knows exactly where he's going. It's strange and she can't figure it out, so she doesn't try. Robin follows her captain as he approaches the very haphazardly built structure with the title ' _Franky House'_ printed on a sheet of metal above the entrance. Sounds of partying and arguing come through the doors, so at the very least it seems like a place her captain will like.

Luffy walks up to the green-painted door and knocks hard.

There's a pause in the merriment, and Robin can hear whispers and questions from inside. The archeologist would wager that guests are not a regular occurrence at this particular establishment.

Eventually the doors open and a woman with peculiarly square hair peers at them through the crack.

"Who is it?" a voice beyond the door asks.

"Some kid and his sister!" she calls back.

Robin blinks and gives a small smile while Luffy pouts.

"I'm not a kid," he mutters.

"Tell them we didn't steal it," the same voice from before says.

"I don't know what to tell you, because we didn't steal it," the woman echoes to the archeologist and her captain. "Why don't you two just—"

"Can we speak to Franky?" Luffy interrupts. His words create a pause.

"What're your names?" the voice asks after a moment.

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and this is Robin, my nakama."

"Isn't that the guy with the 150,000,000 beri bounty?!" Someone else hisses. An array of whispers nowhere near quiet breaks out.

"I bet it is!"

"I heard Nico Robin, the _devil_ child, is sailing with them, so that might be her too!"

"Franky-bro, we could—"

"Let them in!" the first voice orders.

The woman opens the door wider and gestures them inside. Robin looks around and notices fifty or so strangely dressed men eyeing them with that same hunger Robin has grown accustomed to since she gained her bounty all those years ago. The desire for the money a bounty offers is tempting for many people, and the lengths some are willing to go to are often unsavory to say the least; this is especially true since she and Luffy have a bounty of 229,000,000 beri between the two of them. Her eyes slide to her captain who meets her gaze and smiles, entirely unbothered by the display of avarice. As Luffy is unconcerned, Robin decides to simply sit back and watch what Luffy intends to do.

"Come in and take a seat. Let's talk." Looking towards the back of the room, Robin matches the lead voice she heard before with a man with shocking blue hair and three chins. The archeologist blinks. A genetic mutation? There have been cultures with similar alterations, but he doesn't share any of the other traits she's read about. Beside him, she sees the woman who opened the door, and then another woman with similarly square hair who can only be her identical twin.

She and Luffy walk to a ratty green couch set before the blue-haired man. It leaves their backs entirely exposed, but with Luffy beside her, the archeologist isn't terribly worried.

"So, what brings you both to the Franky House?" he asks, leaning back and placing his unnaturally large arms on the top of the couch.

"Can you look at our ship?" Luffy requests, surprising Robin considerably.

It seems their new acquaintence is too. "Eh? You want it dismantled or something?"

Luffy shakes his head. "No. I just want you to check it out for damage."

"Why the hell would I do that?!" the other man asks.

"'Cause we'll pay you," Luffy says simply.

"Heh." The blue-haired man smirks. "It's nice of you to offer, but I think taking in both your bounties would be a more lucrative venture, am I right, boys?"

"Yeah, Franky-bro!" the other men shout back. Without any further warning, Robin and Luffy are assaulted from all sides.

Robin, predicting this, already has her arms crossed. She clutches eleven of them at once, forcing them unconscious before ducking out of the way of a sword strike. Luffy's fighting as cleanly as ever, dipping, diving, and very nearly dancing out of the way of enemies, all while raining swift punches over their head for instant K.O.s. In less than ten minutes, they've defeated about all of the members of the Franky House.

Letting out a growl, Franky jumps forward from his seat and charges Luffy. Robin's captain moves out of the way with ease. Forming a fist, Franky sends a punch spiraling to her captain— and it spirals far beyond his natural reach, facilitated by a rotor and chain attaching the appendage to the blue-haired man's arm. Her captain seems omniscient by the seemingly practiced way he dodges the fist.

Well, her theories about genetic mutations may be groundless if he's somewhat robotic, like his attack suggests. Taking out the last few henchmen, Robin leans against the back of the couch to observe the fight between her captain and Franky.

Her captain isn't really fighting Franky like he was the other men. It's clear he wants Franky to remain conscious from how he dances around the blue-haired man's attacks without ever taking the resulting openings to strike. Luffy hovers behind Franky's back as the other man twists and turns. Her captain matches him move for move, never letting the man catch sight of him.

Seeing her captain fight is never dull. Robin smiles before crossing her arms and clutching the two women with square hair who were attempting to sneak up on her.

"Stay still!" Franky grunts angrily.

"Won't you look at our ship, _pleeeease?"_ Luffy asks, drawing out his word.

"No!" he shouts.

"Why not?!"

"I only dismantle ships; I don't fix or check or build ships anymore!" the blue-haired man rails. "Go to Galley-La or some other place, I don't care!"

"There are government agents thereeeee," Luffy whines. "They don't like Robin, so I don't want to go there."

Franky's eyes bulge and he trips forward. Robin stares at her captain with shock and confusion. Where is Luffy coming up with this information? Government agents in a ship company?

The blue-haired man is too stunned to continue their spar, so he just stops and bores his eyes into Luffy. Her captain ceases his constant shifting and just meets the other man stare for stare.

"What makes you think that?" Franky asks seriously.

"Well Iceburg, he's that old mayor guy, right? And he owns Galley-La. He was an apprentice of that Tom guy, like you were, so the bad government people think—"

"How do you know about that?!" Franky demands, expression tense and borderline hostile. "How do you know about me?!"

"You and Iceburg were Tom's apprentices," Luffy states.

"That doesn't explain anything!" Franky shouts with shark-teeth. "Do you know who I was before?"

"Putty Clam?" Luffy hazards. "Sudsy Ham?"

The words throw Robin for a complete loop.

"That's—" Franky takes deep, furious breaths in and out before trying again. "Are you here for _it_?" Franky asks lowly. "Are you a government agent?!" His hands have moved to his arms, which start making strange clicking sounds. Robin slowly pulls both her hands towards her chest preemptively.

Luffy blinks. "I'm not after play-doh. I'm a pirate. The government is mean."

Play-doh? Robin's brow furrows. She dearly wishes she could understand more of what's going on, but Luffy is being as mysterious as ever.

"That isn't what it's called," Franky utters, regarding Luffy warily and unhappily. Despite this, the clicking does cease.

"Ah, I always forget." Luffy shrugs.

"Why the hell should I believe you? Explain everything to me," Franky says. "Why shouldn't I kill you to prevent you from telling anyone else about this, if you haven't already? Wait, how do you know all of this in the first place?!"

"No," Luffy says. "I don't want to explain. But you shouldn't kill me, because I don't care about it. Those other things don't matter."

"Don't matter?!" Franky asks incredulously.

"I just want you to look at my ship! All that play-doh stuff doesn't interest me. If it did, why would I be talking to you about my ship instead of fighting you?"

Though Robin doesn't understand the whole of what's going on, her captain is sounding incredibly logical at the moment.

"I want you to look at my ship. I don't want to go to Galley-La because there are government people there. I trust you because I know you're an awesome shipwright, 'cause you studied under Tom. That's it. The end," Luffy surmises.

Franky stares at Robin's captain for a long, long time. Eventually he lowers his fists.

"If you were a government agent, you'd either be the stupidest or smartest one I ever met."

And that seems to be the line Luffy walks very often, from what Robin's observed.

"I don't want to be a government agent anyways. They're mean," Luffy reiterates.

"You _need_ to explain to me how you know all of this." Franky's tone is much calmer, persuasive even. He's evidently a rather charismatic individual, when he isn't shouting. "If word gets out, Iceburg and I need to plan."

"I'm the only one." Luffy's eyes are wide and honest. "Your friendship's a secret to everyone else, don't worry."

Franky scoffs. "Who would want to be friends with that idiot?" His tone is weak and tired.

There's a long gap of silence before Franky asks, "How much did you say you'll pay me again?"

And Robin shouldn't be surprised, because it's Luffy she's talking about after all, but seeing him succeed in convincing someone who was completely unwilling ten minutes ago is astonishing.

"100,000,000 beri."

Franky stares before grinning. "That's what an hour or two of my time is worth, I suppose."

Luffy smiles right back, and under her captain's unassuming eyes, the blue-haired man regains his bluster.

"Well, I should charge you for this, and for attacking my friends, but I'll let it slide this one time," Franky says.

"Cool! Thanks!" her captain chirps. Robin smiles. It's quite like her captain to ignore the fact that the two of them were attacked for their bounties. Bygones are always bygones with him, it seems.

"Where is this ship of yours?" Franky asks, and Luffy eagerly opens his mouth before closing it.

Robin chuckles mildly and steps forward to explain the location. Franky had seemingly forgotten about her, because he starts when she approaches. Though he keeps a wary eye on her, he pays careful attention as she talks.

"Alright, can you come soon?" Luffy asks once the small details have been squared away.

"Eh, give me an hour or so. I gotta get everyone up before I go out." Franky nudges the head of one of his still-unconscious friends.

"Okay! See you then!" He and Robin turn to leave, but are stopped by Franky's words.

"Why are you so desperate for me to look at this ship, huh?"

The two stop and look back.

"I need to know if she's still sailable," Luffy answers solemnly.

Admittedly, that isn't something Robin considered too heavily before this, but with all the damage the _Going Merry_ has amassed, she may well be on her last leg. The loss of their beloved ship would be a devastating blow, both emotionally and practically. She understands her captain's urgency now.

"Alright, I'll be there later." Franky gives them a dismissive gesture. "I'm going to wake this lot up with my new song!"

A guitar appears in his hands seemingly out of thin air, and the lights dim around him dramatically as he carefully tunes his instrument. Luffy laughs with eagerness, and is clearly reluctant to leave. Though never one to deny her captain his right to make his own choices, Robin gently nudges him out the door. She'd rather not be there when their victims wake up.

Luffy cheerfully chatters as he leads the way back through town. Robin's head is spinning with information and questions. How did Luffy know that apparently sensitive information about Franky and the mayor of the town? Why does Luffy think there are government spies in the city? What is 'play-doh?' Luffy never makes sense, but his enigmatical tendencies are usually a bit less muddled than this _._ Her captain suddenly addresses her, stirring Robin from her fruitless ponderings.

"That's Franky." Luffy grins at her. "That's our shipwright."

"Well, he certainly seems odd enough to be a part of the crew, though I'm afraid, Luffy-kun, he doesn't seem entirely willing at the moment," Robin offers her two cents.

"He'll join," Luffy replies simply.

And yes, if the conversation they held earlier shows anything, it's Luffy's inhumanly good persuasive skills. He speaks to all of them that way, as though he knows them. It's like he knows what they need to hear, knows what they want to hear— just knows how to talk to them so they feel wanted and special. If her captain wasn't as earnest and kind-hearted as he is, Robin might be wary. As it is, she just smiles mildly.

"If you think so, then I have no doubt. I'm certain he and the others with get along qu—"

"CP9."

Robin's eyes widen and her mind momentarily shuts down. From the corner of her eye, she sees a strange figure in a mask drifting away. She never even noticed them walk past, never realized they were nearby. But they're here. They're _everywhere_. Travelling with Luffy, she almost forgot. But she's reminded now with startling severity about the truth of the matter. She's always on the run, never safe, never capable of complacency. Her captain even mentioned them earlier, governmental spies in the ship company Galley-La. It didn't register, the danger— not like it should have. And now she needs to leave. _Now._ Before they attack her crew, her nakama— no, she doesn't have those, she's forever alone, remember? She doesn't have those. From now on, she doesn't have friends or nakama, no matter what CP9 asks or says.

An eight-year-old child carefully picks up a pair of scissors too large for her hands and cuts away the emotion that unwillingly and needlessly attached itself to the members of Robin's _previous_ **temporary** crew.

Zoro.

 _Snip._

Nami.

 _Snip._

Usopp.

 _Snip._

Sanji.

 _Snip._

Chopper.

 _Snip._

And Luffy.

 _Sn—_

"Robin."

The scissors momentarily jam themselves on straw and ribbon, and all the eight-year-old can do is stare at the teen grasping her arm tightly.

"Robin," he says again.

She'll clean the joint later, she tells herself. For now, she tries to coerce him to let her go.

"Sorry, Luffy, I was momentarily distracted." Smile, like she practiced. "It looks like there might be a bookstore at the end of the street. I think I'll check it out. Why don't you return to the ship to wait for Franky?"

"Robin," he utters.

"It wouldn't be right for you to be absent when your newest nakama comes. I'll catch up."

"Robin."

"Luffy, please let go of my arm," she requests.

"No."

"Luffy—"

"Don't leave," he says.

How? How? How?

How can he know?

He _can't,_ she assures herself, he can't. So, why does it _seem_ like he knows what's going on? Luffy is perceptive, but this is beyond his scope, preternatural as his capabilities are.

"I'm not _leaving._ I'm going to a bookstore," she clarifies. "I didn't think you'd be interested, but you're welcome to come along, if you like." Robin doesn't want to drag it out, but she'll wait a bit if it's necessary before ditching him.

"I won't let you leave."

Is she transparent suddenly? Robin nearly wants to look down to check but can't seem to break eye contact.

"I told you, I'm not leaving."

"I won't let you," Luffy says.

"Okay," the archeologist placates.

"They can't take you away from me." His eyes are filled with the kind of determination that she's only seen in others with the initial 'D.' That won't do at all.

"No one's taking me away," she assures.

"You leaving to go with them to protect us isn't okay either," Luffy says decisively.

And Robin is absolutely certain at this point that her captain is able to read minds, he's omniscient, and very likely psychic. This is so absurd it must have an equally absurd explanation.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she utters.

"CP9. Cipher peoples. They're gonna threaten us to get you to do things you don't want to do," he answers, leaving her completely speechless. Knowing there are governmental agents is one thing, knowing who and what CP9 is and stands for is an _impossible_ other.

"I'll protect you, Robin," Luffy promises. "So don't leave."

Slowly, her wit returns. Robin wants to ask, needs to discover how he knows these things, but finds it difficult to start anywhere in particular. None of this should be possible. The only ones who know about her are the Marines and the World Government.

Despite what he's revealed to her, Robin can't bring herself to think that the teen has anything to do with the government. If he has known all along who she is, he would've done something ages ago— _anyone_ would've done something ages ago when they realized the extent of her messed up history. But Luffy isn't anyone. And Luffy has shown time and time again that he doesn't care about who any of them were in the past. When they're with him, it's all that matters . . .

So. Luffy knows everything about her, or at least a fair bit. He doesn't care— or rather, doesn't understand that she's too dangerous and he needs to let her go. So she'll have to convince him, show him _the truth._ Even though after he understands, he may look at her with eyes that will rip her soul.

"The rest of the crew isn't involved in my business, Luffy." Robin forces herself to speak smoothly. "They're going to risk their lives if I continue to stay on the crew. They may be _assassinated_ if I remain. No one is safe while I am here. What Aokiji said before is true, every organization I've joined has been completely wiped out. And _this_ is the reason why. The Straw Hat pirate crew will be another victim of circumstance, the crime of associating with me. I enjoyed our time together," she admits. "But it's simply time for me to leave. Don't risk your crew's lives needlessly."

Luffy has been surprisingly patient and attentive to her every word, but there isn't a lick of doubt or confusion in his steadfast gaze. He opens his mouth.

"If you leave, we're all going to fight them anyways. We'll come after you. You're nakama. So we'll chase you to _Enies Lobby_ to save you, if we have to." Luffy shrugs, as though he didn't just propose to challenge one of the main strongholds of the World Government and the Marines, as though he didn't just decide to fight the world order for Robin if he has to.

Luffy isn't done. "Better to fight them on our turf than theirs. Besides, then we'll have you fighting with us so it'll be easier."

She starts fighting against his grip. "You don't understand their strength."

"I do. They could order a Buster Call on this island, if they wanted," he says.

Robin's eyes widen at the memories his words bring. Fire and death and endless, meaningless violence. Yes. Yes, that could happen. In a world known for its cruelty, that could happen to her again. She could lose everything again. The world can end again and leave her somehow more scarred than before.

"Don't you see? That's why it's so important for me to leave!" she presses, and desperation seeps into her tone despite her staid self-control.

"Even if they threaten us with a Buster Call, I still won't give you up," he states.

She inwardly flounders at his incredible stubbornness and determination. Luffy takes her other arm.

" _Robin,_ " he utters with such incredible emotion that the archeologist stills her struggling. "I'm not letting you abandon your dream like this. I promised, didn't I? I told you I'd keep you safe so you could discover the lost history."

And he's said it multiple times in the past, but beyond warming her heart, she's never realized the truth behind the words. Luffy made some kind of _vow._ And her breathing picks up, because she's beginning to realize that he will never let Robin sacrifice herself. He'd even said so in Alabasta.

 _'You're nakama. I'll come and get you wherever you go, whoever you join. I won't let you go until you realize your dream.'_

She doesn't want him hurt! She doesn't want any of them hurt! Luffy's incredible caring only makes it harder for her. But faced with his words, she can't doubt his sincerity. Everything has spiraled far out of her control, and she grapples for anything to keep herself afloat.

As she reaches out searchingly, desperately, her hands move across the scissors which are still stubbornly jammed. The eight-year-old tries to force them shut, to force them to cut the ribbon and straw. She _needs_ to. It's the only way she can operate.

 _—hurry, escape, start anew; meet people, stray too close, sever, snip, cut the bonds, hurry, escape, start anew; meet people, stray too close, sever, snip, cut the bonds, hurry, escape, start anew; meet people, stray too close, sever, snip, cut the bo—_

The scissors won't shut.

Because this straw isn't just straw, it's steel and will, and the ribbon is hope and love, and she can't cut those things, she can't cut material like that.

If— if Luffy will fight CP9 regardless of who she's joined, then Robin knows where she'd prefer to be when the time comes; she wants to fight beside him. And if the government orders a Buster Call, she wants to be by his side as her world goes up in flames for the second time. It would be right for Robin to die with them, beside the boy who instilled love and faith back into her life. It might even be nice.

She wouldn't have the energy to move anymore if they died anyways, so she thinks she wants to be with them.

The eight-year-old carefully places the scissors down and steps away.

"Okay, Luffy-kun," Robin says softly. Luffy scans her eyes searchingly, before smiling and reaching up on his tiptoes to put his straw hat on her head.

"Good." He nods. "Let's go to the ship and wait for Franky."

Robin's sure she looks ridiculous, outfitted in her tight, dark clothes with an old straw hat on her head, but she doesn't even dream of taking it off. She's seen him place it on others' heads, but never her own. The weight is comfortable, reassuring. It's the cement she needs to harden her resolve. So as Luffy leads them back, swinging their held hands, she fingers the worn string of his old hat and feels a small level of peace take over her soul. If they die, so will she. And she's content for the first time in twenty years.

* * *

Franky walks through the town twirling a bulky toolbox between his large hands. He can hear the other people in the streets hissing and whispering, wondering whose ship he's off to dismantle now.

Franky snorts. He wishes.

For the seventh time since leaving the _Franky House_ he asks himself what exactly he's doing. He salvages ships, he doesn't inspect them. Normally no amount of money, even a _nice_ chunk like 100,000,000, would be enough to persuade him to take on some of the duties of a shipwright again. But attached to that hundred million beri is this strange kid who's still making Franky's head spin even hours later.

He has no fucking clue what happened earlier.

Some teenager appears on his doorstep. Said teen and his friend have nice, fat bounties on their heads. When Franky and the rest of the Franky Family attempt to reel him and his friend in, the wanted man and woman proceed to beat all of them soundly. After which, he states that there are government spies in Iceberg's company, Galley-La. Then the teen proceeds to blandly uncover everything Franky's tried to keep secret and safe. The teen mentions _Pluton_ (even if he can't say it right), which flips Franky's world upside-down and inside-out. What really gets Franky is that the teen mildly says that he doesn't care about the secret weapon the government has _killed_ for— he came to Franky so he can look at the young captain's ship because he can't trust any of the shipwrights in Water 7.

Weirdest of all, the teen didn't show any malcontent. If anything, he appeared happy and delighted just to see Franky (which, honestly, can happen to everyone on occasion when the salvager is feeling especially super). He smiled, laughed, and genuinely seemed to like Franky, despite the fact that the salvager and the rest of his family attacked them. Straw Hat pressed again for Franky to look at his ship. And Franky isn't even a shipwright! Not really, not anymore, not after _Tom . . ._

No one except Iceberg and Kokoro should know about his past, no one should know that Franky was once Cutty Flam, apprentice to Tom. So how does this utter stranger, who Franky is ninety-nine percent sure isn't even _from_ Water 7, know about him?

What the hell.

Straw Hat has to be the most confusing, strange, and oddly straightforward person Franky's met in his short thirty-six years on the world.

What he _should_ be doing is gathering his family and launching a counterstrike against Straw Hat for what he did to them . . . But there are too many variables. He can't.

So partially out of his need to investigate both for him and that idiotic Iceberg, and partially because of his own curiosity, Franky's on his way to check out some ship. He's going to have to speak to the mayor anyways to tell him about the government agents that may or may not have infiltrated Galley-La (Straw Hat has been right about too many things for Franky to completely brush the words off), but he'd rather have more information to present.

Following Nico Robin's very precise directions, he reaches an outskirt on the other side of town where, sure enough, he finds a very battered-looking ship. If he has any doubts of who it belonged to, they're cleared up as someone on the figurehead of a sheep starts jumping up and down.

"Franky!" It's Straw Hat who crows his name.

"Straw Hat!" he calls back once he nears. The dark-haired boy jumps off the mast and runs right up to him.

"You're here." The teen captain smiles and gestures to the ship. "Franky, meet the _Going Merry._ Merry, meet Franky, he's a shipwright!"

"Not a shipwright, a salvager," Franky corrects, but he still smiles. He likes the way the teen talks already. Ships are one of the largest parts of any successful voyage, and Franky's always been of the opinion that they ought to be treated that way.

The ship's on the smaller side of the spectrum for a galleon, but seems sturdy enough. On the deck, he spies a handful of people. First is Nico Robin, from earlier today, who's seated on a lawn chair near the railing. She's wearing the straw hat that the teen captain is known for, and even as she peers down at him from her chair, she toys with the string. Next to her on another lawn chair is a busty red-haired teen. After seeing Franky, she stands and approaches the railing with a shrewd look. Franky can appreciate that kind of distrust. A blond man stands beside the red-head, alternating between ogling at the woman with gaga eyes, and staring at Franky. The salvager also thinks he can see some kind of animal aboard too, which is always nice. Franky doesn't get to see many animals around Water 7 with how developed the city is.

Straw Hat walks up the boarding platform grinning the whole time, and Franky follows after, taking in the splintered railing and starboard as he does. Once fully aboard, Franky sees a green-haired man he completely missed, resting against the mast. The other man's intent gaze is hard to forget once Franky's seen it.

"This is my crew, and everyone, this is Franky, he's a shipwright," Luffy announces.

"Salvager," he corrects again. He looks around the deck speculatively. "So this is your crew?"

"Yeah, just about. My sharpshooter isn't here right now, he's at the bait shop."

"When you said you were going to check out some ship yards with Robin, we weren't really expecting you to bring someone back so soon without telling us," Red says exasperatedly before stepping forward. "I'm Nami, the navigator. This is Sanji and that's Zoro." She points to the blond guy and the green-haired man.

"And this is Chopper, our resident doctor," Nico Robin introduces the strange animal, which on further inspection, is even stranger than his first glance suggested. It's wearing a hat. And it has horns?

"What—"

"Chopper's a reindeer who ate a devil's fruit," Nami informs him, and all of them are staring at him with some strange intention Franky can't puzzle out.

Franky just shrugs. "Cool. Never seen that before. I'm going to start below deck." With that, he heads to the stairs. After setting his toolbox down, Franky starts looking around. The tools are only in case he needs to pry something lose, or unscrew a section of this or that. There are a lot of homemade repairs done to the ship, so it's probably a good thing that that he brought the kit. It's hard to determine the real state of the ship with everything boarded up. He starts examining the supports when a voice cuts him off.

"What do you think?"

Franky starts and turns.

"Straw Hat," he utters. "What are you doing?"

"Watching you."

Franky could tell him to scat, but he kind of enjoys the way the teen looks at the ship. Even if the ship is beat to hell— and boy is it— Franky can tell it's well cared for. Besides, it would be a lie to say he isn't still curious about the teen.

"Alright," he says. "Just keep out of my way while I'm working. I don't want to miss anything."

"Right!" Straw Hat smiles.

"How long have you had the _Going Merry_?" Franky asks as he catalogues some cracks in the supporting beams.

"Mmm, maybe seven or eight months."

"Less than a year?" Franky raises an eyebrow before digging around his toolbox for a crowbar. "Well, the Grand Line is the most dangerous of all the seas."

"We sailed her here all the way from the East Blue. We took her up Reverse Mountain and everything!"

"I've heard that's pretty hard on a lot of ships," Franky comments as he starts prying away a piece of plywood from the hull. Small beads of water slowly well up into the ship when the board moves. Franky sighs before placing the plywood back over the mess of cracks it was covering. He gives it a good thump to get the nails set back in before moving on.

"Merry took it well." Luffy follows him as Franky moves to another part of the hull. "We got a lot of this damage recently."

"Some big naval battle?" Franky asks, sighing at the patchwork mess of wood covering what Franky is sure is another large wound in the _Going Merry's_ hull. Hopefully Straw Hat has another couple hundred million beri lying around after paying Franky, otherwise this ship isn't going to get the multiple repairs it needs to continue on for a long while more.

"No, we didn't have a battle."

"It doesn't really look like you all were attacked," Franky amends, considering the kinds of damage he's seen. "Harsh waters?"

"Something like that." Straw Hat scratches his uncovered head. "We took Merry up."

Franky frowns. "Up?"

"To Skypiea. It's this neat island in the sky."

Franky stops his final sweep of the hull to stare at the teen.

"An island in the sky?"

"Yep! We had to take this knock-up stream to get there. And we sort of fell for the most part back down. That's why Merry is as hurt as she is. There wasn't a lot we could do about it. A ship is supposed to take us to dangerous places so we can explore and adventure. Sometimes the ship gets hurt for that." Straw Hat sighs. "I don't like it, but I think I've learned by now that it just sort of happens."

Franky nods. "Yep. But can you explain to me this island in the sky a little more, I'm kind of still caught up on that."

"Yeah!" Straw Hat smiles and starts explaining in these outlandish, rambling sentences about angels and a strange false god who was apparently really rude and mean to everyone there. Straw Hat seems to think he's telling the truth, and even if he isn't, the salvager doesn't much care; Franky can appreciate a good story for what it is. And the fact that Straw Hat, though confusing, is a very engaged and excited storyteller makes it even better. Franky finds himself laughing with this strange teen captain as he explains how the green-haired guy apparently gets lost like it's nobody's business, how the blond and the swordsman fight over stupid things, how Chopper apparently patches all of them up after their fights and tries to keep them bedridden until one of them can get some beer to loosen the reindeer up enough to let them go, how the sharpshooter apparently suffers from a strange disease that puzzles Straw Hat called 'I can't go to that island-itis,' how the navigator tends to crack skulls when she's had enough, and how Nico Robin smiles and watches.

Straw Hat talks about his crewmates with so much enthusiasm and affection, it's a little stunning and poignant for Franky. It isn't like he starts crying or anything like that. He doesn't cry, even when captains tell really emotionally touching stories.

And Straw Hat laughs at his behavior and says, "Of course not. But you're really funny!"

It's odd and borderline uncomfortable how much it seems like Straw Hat already knows him. It's not just the obscure secret knowledge either, it's just how he responds and talks to Franky.

Franky would almost think he'd met the teen before.

Unfortunately, all that lightheartedness fades when Franky starts examining the keel. Straw Hat falls silent, sensing the change in the mood and waits patiently for Franky to speak.

"You were right." Franky sighs. "She isn't seaworthy. The keel's broken. I'm sorry, but this ship is done for. You aren't going to be able to repair damage like this. To be honest, it's a miracle you made it this far."

Straw Hat's lips purse and his eyes are suspiciously wet, but he nods determinedly.

"Okay." After saying that, the captain presses himself against one of the beams and closes his eyes.

Franky slowly packs up his stuff, careful to keep his attention on his toolbox so that Straw Hat can have a moment with the ship.

After a long time, Straw Hat finally pulls himself away.

"Let's tell everyone else."

"Right," Franky says, grabbing his toolbox and going to the upper deck.

Though their eyes flicker towards him, none of the Straw Hat pirates stop what they're doing. Until their captain steps on the upper deck. Everything stills, and all of them stand and move closer to him, as though gravitating to a pain they can innately sense.

"Luffy?" Nami asks.

"Is the inspection done already?" the blond asks. "Surely you have more to look at."

Franky steels himself. "Inspection's done, I'm afraid—"

"The Merry can't be fixed," Luffy says, cutting him off. Franky pauses, again surprised by the teen captain. He was more than ready to tell them the bad news. And yet Straw Hat steps forward and takes the burden on himself, takes their shocked and unhappy stares.

"What do you mean she can't be fixed?!" Nami demands.

"The Merry can't be fixed," Straw Hat says again.

"Are you sure?" the doctor asks, eyes wide.

"Yeah," the captain answers. "We— we have to say goodbye to the Merry."

"No. No way! What's wrong with her that you don't think someone can repair?!" Nami asks the salvager.

Franky is ready to step in and help the young captain.

"The keel is cracked. The keel is debatably the most important part of a ship, it runs along the bottom of the ship as the main support. Without a decent keel, it's only a matter of time until the _Going Merry_ sinks."

"Can't you just replace the keel?" Nami asks.

Franky shakes his head. "It doesn't work like that. You can replace every other section of a ship if you want, but to repair or switch out a keel you have to take apart the entire ship and start from the bottom up. Once that's done it isn't really your ship anymore. Putting it back together is basically impossible."

"I know it would be hard, but can't you rebuild it with a new keel?" she asks, desperately.

"You can't make another copy of a ship," Franky says, unable to keep the irritation from his voice. "Every ship has its own nuances and quirks, its own spirit. Besides, without the original blueprints it's impossible to rebuild a _replica_ in the first place. You'd be better off buying a new ship."

"Buying a new ship?" Chopper asks, dazed.

"Hold on, I want to see your credentials! Luffy, how do you know this guy is trustworthy?" Red just does not give up. He usually likes stubbornness, but this kind of denial leaves a bad taste in his mouth. He's ready to blow this joint. Franky doesn't have to explain himself to her.

"I trust him," Luffy says decisively. Franky tenses. If Straw Hat lets loose his secrets to everyone on board, Franky doesn't know what he's going to do. Nico Robin is bad enough.

"Why?"

"Not my business to say." Straw Hat shrugs. Franky slowly, uneasily relaxes his tensed muscles. "But I know we can trust him."

"Luffy—"

"Look, Luffy's luck is uncanny. I don't doubt that he managed to find a great carpenter after being in the city for an hour. Let up," Zoro pipes in for the first time. Red looks like she wants to argue, but just huffs an upset breath and leaves it be.

"Thank you for your help. You've given us much to think on." Nico Robin smiles. He nearly jumps in surprise as a trail of hands appear on the deck. A briefcase is passed along from somewhere inside the galley and presented to him. Franky blinks at the delivery, but accepts it.

"Sure thing." After a quick peek inside the briefcase to confirm the contents, he gives an awkward wave to the now-solemn crew before adjusting his sunglasses and walking off the platform.

"See you later!" Straw Hat says.

"Whatever," he replies easily.

To be perfectly honest, Franky doesn't think he wants to deal with that strange crew again if he can help it. They're unusual people for sure and he likes them, especially their impressive captain, but they are possibly _too_ strange, which Franky has never really thought about any person or thing before. He sighs. Whatever they do, he wishes them the best. The salvager has other things to look forward to anyways.

Franky rolls his shoulders. He should meet with Iceberg sooner rather than later, but he can hardly stand the idea of having 100,000,000 beri untouched in a briefcase for an entire day! One party and a few shopping sprees— then Franky will visit that idiot of a mayor.

This evening is going to be super.

* * *

Zoro eyes the tense and unhappy figures on the deck. The game plan for Water 7 has changed drastically and suddenly; all of them are trying to adjust to the new information. It wasn't something they had discussed, the possibility that the _Going Merry_ might not be able to be fixed. The way Zoro understands the situation, it's simply bad luck that they damaged probably the only irreparable part of the ship. Now that they know this, Zoro isn't sure as to what Luffy will do. He said they'd buy a new ship, but how is Luffy going to convince everyone else to agree? Speaking of, the queen of disagreement makes a short sound of unhappiness.

"Luffy," Nami says determinedly. "I'm not giving up on the Merry so quickly."

"It isn't necessarily quickly, is it, Captain?" Robin puts forth.

"What do you mean, Robin-schwan?" the chef asks.

"Luffy-kun suspected that the _Going Merry_ was irreparably damaged, didn't you?"

Luffy sighs and looks at the figurehead unhappily. "Yeah."

"How? Usopp didn't think so and he spends more time fixing the Merry than anyone!" Chopper exclaims.

"Can't you see?" Luffy asks distantly, closing his eyes. "The Merry's so sad. She knows she won't be able to keep going with us. I see her spirit sometimes. And it's so wonderful and sad." He opens his dark eyes. "But she shouldn't be sad because she brought us here. And that's good. That's really good."

His words create a miserable hush over the present crew members, and all of them look solemnly at the ship, trying to divine the truth that's seemingly so evident to their captain. Zoro himself is trying to see the spirit Luffy's talking about. Metaphors just aren't his captain's style. If Luffy says there's a spirit on the ship, Zoro doesn't doubt its actual existence. Luffy's words are always honest, always full of firmness, almost to a point of fault. In this instance though, Zoro thinks it's what they all need in order to grasp this new information.

Not everyone is on that page.

Nami slowly speaks, "I'm sure Franky is a good shipwright, and that you can sense the Merry better than us, but can't we go to Galley-La for a second opinion? Everyone in town said they're the best company around."

"No," Luffy says plainly. "There are government spies at Galley-La who're after Robin so I don't want to go there."

There's a three second pause.

"What?!" Almost all of them shout and stare at their captain in utter bewilderment.

"How do you know that?!" Nami asks.

"Are they going to try and hurt Robin-schwan?! I won't let them!" Sanji rails.

Zoro just glances between his captain and the complex-looking Robin, whose fingers have yet to leave the string of the straw hat since she came back aboard. He noticed, like all of them did, that she was wearing their captain's hat after coming back from their trip to the city. That usually means that some shit is going down somehow. After Luffy started talking about this utterly bizarre cyborg they ran into, Zoro sort of figured that whatever business was going on with Robin wasn't too important, just an emotional exchange or something. Evidently, he was wrong. Since he began sailing with Luffy, this isn't an irregular experience anymore.

"Robin's not going anywhere," Luffy says seriously.

"Why are there agents after her?" Chopper asks in a small voice.

"Eh, that's a long story. We'll talk about it later. She's safe for now. They won't do anything for a little while I think," Luffy muses aloud. "Right now, I think we should start saying goodbye to the Merry."

"If she's safe . . ." Sanji trails off, bordering dubious. If anyone else had said it, Sanji probably would have challenged them to ensure the safety of the lady. As it is, Zoro understands why he doesn't.

"Saying goodbye to the Merry . . . It's just— it's too sudden, Luffy," Nami says, almost pleadingly.

"I don't want to say goodbye to the Merry," Chopper says, beginning to sniffle.

"None of us _want_ to," Zoro says, though he's careful to keep his tone gentle for the young doctor. "But this is ultimately the captain's choice."

"Luffy," Nami beseeches.

Luffy takes a deep breath. "We're going after our dreams. If we're going to keep sailing, we have to say goodbye to the Merry." When Chopper chokes on a sob, Luffy goes over a places a hand on top of the doctor's hat. "She's sad because she can't go on, but I can tell she's happy she got to go all the way here with us. Besides, it's not like we're ever going to forget her, right?"

Chopper wipes the water from his eyes. "Never."

"Exactly. When we reach our dreams, she's gonna be on our minds, and it'll be like she's with us too. It's not really goodbye."

The doctor manages a smile and nod at that. Luffy pats the pink hat and steps back. Zoro gives a small grin. Even as sadness takes root in everyone's eyes, acceptance is there too. Luffy's incredible empathy and understanding strikes again.

"I'm back!"

Every crew member on deck freezes in unison and slowly turns towards the sharpshooter who's making his way up the boarding platform, arms laden with bags.

"The bait here is pretty expensive, but it's high quality stuff. I'm ready to catch another few Sea Kings." Usopp pauses once he reaches the deck. "What's wrong? Why are all of you so serious?"

"Usopp . . ." Nami trails off. No one is looking forward to explaining the _Going Merry's_ condition to her most fervent fan.

"Let's go to the galley," Luffy says. "We need to talk about the Merry."

Usopp hesitates for a moment before shrugging. "Alright, let me just set my bait down."

Once he puts the bait in their cabinet for fishing supplies, he walks into the galley and everyone slowly filters in after.

Before entering, Luffy approaches Robin, who, after a moment of staring, removes their captain's straw hat and returns it to its owner.

Hat firmly on his head, Luffy goes in. The archeologist and swordsman enter last, shutting the door behind them. Usopp's in one of the chairs against the wall and Luffy takes a seat on top of the table. For once the cook doesn't bother scolding him. Zoro leans against the wall by the door to wait and watch. He has no intention of stepping in. Besides, he's curious how Luffy is going to handle this.

"So, what's up with the Merry?" Usopp asks. "From the looks on all of your faces, I'm guessing the repairs are going to be expensive."

"Usopp," Luffy asks seriously. "Do you value your nakama or the Merry more?"

Everyone sucks in a silent breath at Luffy's chosen line of inquiry. Zoro knows that Usopp is going to take it the hardest out of all of them, but it seems like Luffy is preparing for the absolute worst. Usopp wouldn't put the Merry first, would he? Even for the chronic liar, that would be too much, right? While the Merry is a precious gift from Kaya, it's still a ship. But, the more he considers the matter, the less certain Zoro is.

The sharpshooter blinks before frowning. "Isn't Merry nakama?"

"She is," Luffy agrees. "I would fight to save the Merry. I would fight like my life depends on it. But I wouldn't save her at the cost of the entire crew. Would you?"

Zoro's stomach clenches unpleasantly when Usopp hedges. "Why are you asking?"

"The Merry can't be fixed."

The statement hangs tensely in the air.

"What— what do you mean? I know she's a bit more beat up than usual, but she's still in one piece!" Usopp exclaims. "It'll be expensive, but there's no way she's beyond repair."

"We had someone inspect her," Luffy says. "The Merry can't be fixed."

Usopp blinks wildly, seeming unable to reconcile this sudden rush of information. "You're trusting the words of a stranger over Merry's spirit?! I know her better than anyone. If these strangers aren't willing to rebuild the Merry then I will!"

"This isn't something you can repair. The keel is broken," Luffy explains. "Without the keel, we can't fix her. They'd have to rebuild her from scratch."

"Then let's rebuild her!" Usopp demands. "I don't care what it'll cost! And you shouldn't either, the Merry is special. I thought you knew that, but maybe you don't with how quickly you're giving up on her!"

"Calm down, Usopp," Nami requests. "Just hear Luffy out."

"I will if he starts making sense! The Luffy I know wouldn't give up on the Merry like this," Usopp rebuts with a furious look in his eyes.

"We can't rebuild her. She won't be our Merry," their captain says, frustrated. "And we don't have the original blueprints to make a replica anyways. Usopp, we _can't._ "

"How are we standing on her right now if she's too broken to be fixed?!" Usopp shouts. "I'm not going to give up on the Merry without at least trying to fix her keel!" Zoro takes a breath and exhales slowly. Luffy's perception in this instance is absolutely spot on. Zoro knows Usopp loves the Merry, but the way he's talking makes it seem like he isn't willing to part with her regardless of the dire circumstances. The sharpshooter is utterly irrational in this instance and the first mate can tell this will end badly.

"You aren't a shipwright," Luffy says through gritted teeth.

Nami steps towards him. "Wait, Luffy. He just doesn't understand—"

Usopp cuts her off. "No matter how hard, I'm going to try fixing the Merry! I refuse to give up on her."

"You can't fix her keel!" Luffy snaps. "The Merry is broken!"

"So you're going to leave her behind?" Usopp accuses.

"She's going to sink!" Luffy shouts. "As a ship, it's her duty to carry us to our destination safety. If she can't she won't be happy. Just like I'm the captain. I'm willing to die for the crew. If I let my nakama die I wouldn't be worthy of being the captain anymore! I know Merry feels the same."

"So, what, if I'm not fulfilling my duty of sharpshooter you'll leave me behind too?!" Usopp demands.

"It isn't the same!" Luffy shakes his head jerkily. "The Merry and I are in charge of the crew's safety. As a captain, it's my duty. If _I'm_ not capable of defending my crew, then I have no right to be the captain." He levels his eyes on Zoro.

The swordsman grits his teeth. Because both of them are thinking about their first encounter.

" _If you ever get between me and my dream, I won't hesitate to cut you down."_

How far away they are from that place now. By this point, Zoro will never question whether his captain will put his dream above any of theirs. He didn't understand at the time, what all Luffy really is. And even now, he's realizing that there is still so much about his captain's determined spirit that he hasn't grasped yet.

"I don't care! I'm not abandoning this ship." Usopp grabs Luffy's collar angrily. "I underestimated each of you, but you especially, Luffy! You don't believe in the Merry at all, do you?! You stand here spouting bull about being captain and a captain's duty and a ship's duty. Just shut up! You don't get to decide things like that!"

"I'm the captain. It's my job to make hard choices like this," Luffy shoots back.

"Well I don't accept it!" Usopp shakes the other teen.

"We are getting a new ship no matter what you say. I made that decision."

"I won't sail on and leave a wounded nakama behind!"

"Merry is nakama, but she's a ship!" their captain says.

"No, she's not!" Usopp shakes his head furiously. "She's a person too! She isn't just a ship!"

"So that's your answer then. You pick the Merry over the crew?" Luffy asks.

Zoro understands now why Luffy opened up with that question. The swordsman didn't realize the extent of Usopp's feelings for the ship, not like Luffy apparently did.

"I choose not to leave a nakama behind," Usopp answers instead.

Luffy's eyes harden. "If you can't agree then you can just get your stuff and—"

"You jackass!" Sanji shouts as he kicks both of them into the walls and floor. For once, Luffy doesn't dodge the idiot-cook's attack. "What were you about to say?! Don't speak so carelessly!"

If he expects to cow Luffy, he's sorely mistaken, because when Luffy lifts his head his eyes are only more resolute.

"I'm not speaking carelessly," he says lowly as he pulls himself from the broken wood. "This isn't something I'm saying lightly!" Luffy stares at each of them, making eye contact with every member of his crew before resting on Sanji, and the cook actually flinches. His gaze flips to Usopp.

"I won't let you stay on the crew so long as you value a ship over everyone's lives. You want us to stay on the Merry and sail to our deaths. As a captain, I will never let you do that. If you can't respect that, then leave."

Sanji staggers back and nearly all of them have tears in their eyes.

"This is what you wanted all along," Usopp utters. "You've just been looking for a reason to get rid of me! I'm useless like the Merry, so trim the fat, leave me behind too! It's what you want, isn't it?"

"Usopp." Chopper sniffs and pulls his hat over his eyes.

"Does it look like I want this?!" Luffy demands. And no, no one in the room will argue that he wants any of what's happening. "I don't want you to leave, but when you disregard everyone's lives like this, I don't— I don't want you on my crew."

Usopp's eyes are wild with anger and actual _hate._ "Well, our goals never lined up anyways, did they? Beyond sailing together, we don't have any ties. So I'll do it then. I'm leaving the crew!" Usopp declares. Grabbing his messenger bag, Usopp rises and storms out the door without a single look back. And just like that, he's leaving the crew.

"Luffy, what are you waiting for? Go get him back!" Nami shouts.

"I know this is serious, but don't do something you're going to regret!" Sanji says.

Chopper is still crying. "Go after him, please."

Luffy says nothing, even as Chopper, Nami, and Sanji run through the door onto the outer deck.

Zoro's respect for his captain has shot up incredibly. To be frank, he didn't know if Luffy had the guts to seriously reprimand a crewmate. They disrespect him often, and Luffy lets them walk all over him regularly. He cares about them a lot, and doesn't put much stock in pride, and that's all there is to it. Because he's Luffy, he has their respect for his captaincy anyways, even though he hardly acts the part. So to see him challenge Usopp for his stubbornness and selfishness is incredibly impressive to the swordsman.

"Luffy!"

The captain adjusts his hat so it shadows his eyes before he walks out the door to see what Usopp is yelling about. Zoro and Robin file outside after him. Looking out into the orange bathed landscape, Zoro sees the sharpshooter a little away from the Merry, staring challengingly towards the teen captain.

"Since you're the captain, the Merry belongs to you, Luffy. So there's only one thing I can do about it." He sucks in a deep breath. "Luffy! I challenge you! I'll return here at ten o'clock to fight you for the Merry!"

"Usopp, don't do this!" Chopper bawls.

"Luffy, do something!" Nami demands.

"This is between myself and _your_ captain," Usopp says. "Do you accept?"

Luffy answers tersely. "No."

"No?!" Usopp shrieks.

"Thank you, Luffy." Nami smiles with relief. "Now get back here now, Usopp! We can talk this out!"

But Luffy isn't done. "No, I won't fight you. We're leaving the Merry. She's yours."

Sanji, Nami, Chopper, and Usopp's mouths all fall open, and even Zoro admits to being surprised.

The sharpshooter is livid. "I won't just accept her like that!"

"Then leave her here on her own. We aren't staying here anymore," Luffy says with determination.

"Just fight me!"

Their captain crosses his arms. "No. I won't. You can't make me." With that, he turns away from Usopp. "Come on, everyone, let's gather our stuff together. Nami, I'll help you with your mikan trees."

"Oi, Luffy, you can't be serious!" Sanji says.

"We're leaving the ship anyways, remember." Zoro finally steps in. "Whether we do it now or later, it doesn't matter. Usopp's made his choice and so has Luffy. We should respect that."

Usopp snaps. "Don't ignore me, Luffy!"

"Chopper, once you have most of the medical supplies taken care of, help Robin with her books," Zoro says. "There should be enough crates in the back."

"I'll get the flag," Luffy announces solemnly, and his words echo in all of their ears. He pulls back an arm, but before he can launch to the mast, one of Usopp's pop bullets speeds towards his head. The captain catches it easily. The bullet explodes, but Luffy doesn't flinch or react. He lets it crackle and ooze smoke through his clenched fingers. When it finishes, Luffy drops the remnants of the bullet to the deck. Chopper immediately runs over, prying his fingers open. He's not the only one stunned to see Luffy's hand is undamaged.

There's no time to ask or comment, because the teen captain finally turns to face Usopp.

"I challenged you, Luffy!" the sharpshooter shouts.

"Your influence on my decisions stopped the moment you left the crew," Luffy says with a hard expression. "I don't want to fight you. I'm not going to. There's nothing you can do about it."

Damn. Luffy is serious. The kind of serious he only uses on enemies and— and people who threaten his nakama. That's really what it comes down to for Luffy, isn't it?

And of everything Luffy's said, this seems to be what hits Usopp the hardest. Zoro understands why perfectly. Because Luffy isn't dismissive, doesn't ignore them. It becomes crystal clear that Usopp really has no idea the hurt his words inflicted on their captain, the weight in them, how _serious_ what he's done is. Zoro finds himself supporting his captain without reservation. Usopp has gone too far without understanding the consequences of his actions.

"Fine," Usopp says through sobs, forearm flung over his eyes. "I guess our relationship ends here. Good riddance!"

"Goodbye." Luffy's hand grips the brim of his hat tightly. "It was fun." And tears slip down from his shadowed eyes. Every cry, every plea, and every accusation drains from Chopper, Nami, and Sanji's mouths when they see the water running over Luffy's face.

"Come on, we should get started," Zoro says, nudging the tearful reindeer into motion. Luffy wipes his tears away and takes Nami's hand before pulling her stunned form to the mikan grove. Sanji finishes off his last cigarette and immediately lights a second one before heading into the galley, while Robin slowly goes up the stairs to the library.

No one is okay, but they're packing up so they can move on, which is the first step to getting over what just happened.

Though Zoro suspects it'll be a long lone while until anyone gets closure.

* * *

Sanji looks out at the dark city from the window in their temporary room. After renting a storage pod and emptying all of their possessions into it, they went to the nearest hotel to rest. All of them need it. Today has been an utter tidal-wave of emotions. First when they learned about the Merry's complete disrepair, and then Luffy's confrontation with Usopp.

The chef's teeth grit. Usopp was in the wrong, no doubt about it. The more Sanji thinks about it, the more apparent that becomes. In the end, the sharpshooter blatantly chose the Merry over the safety of the crew, which does hurt. Sanji gets why that upsets Luffy so much, but he doesn't like how their captain phrased that question. Ultimatums aren't very appealing to Sanji. But to anyone else on the crew, that question would have been a no-brainer . . . Luffy seemed like he already knew how Usopp would react. Which is why he should have been the bigger man, waited to cool off before proposing that Usopp _leave the crew_ , of all things.

Sanji remembers many of the stories Zeff told him when he was a child— back when it was just a kitchen, ingredients, an old peg-legged man, and a stubborn child. From what the old chef told him, Sanji figured that a crew is a fleeting thing. Members come and go on every pirate ship; it's a fact of life. Disagreements happen or better prospects come up, whatever the case is, and crewmembers leave. But Luffy's existence is an utter upheaval of every one of Sanji's preconceptions of pirates (of everything, really). The impermanence of a crew shouldn't be any different. Maybe Sanji's gotten spoiled or overly dazzled by the magic Luffy seems to bring to every facet of their crew.

Their captain has always instilled within them a feeling of uniqueness. They are sailing for dreams, it's what sets them apart from nearly every other pirate crew out there. Connected through dreams and unsatisfying childhoods, their crew is supposed to be unbreakable compared to others. It's part of why their crew will never be too large— this is a lifetime dedication. And what a good way to spend a lifetime. It had never occurred to Sanji that one of their crew members could ever leave, not after knowing Luffy and the life he offers.

But apparently, he's been doubly wrong. Not only did Usopp leave, but Robin apparently was almost kidnapped from them too. The ground feels suddenly unsteady beneath Sanji's feet and he wants to stamp and jump on it until it stops. Luffy was there to stop her, thankfully, before she was pulled away. Even though their captain missed Usopp, catching Robin rather makes up for it, at least in Sanji's book.

Still, things like this aren't supposed to happen. He agrees that Luffy is vindicated in his dismissal of Usopp when he treats their lives like trash compared to his obsession with the Merry. But Luffy's supposed to be able to just fix things like this. He always does.

Sanji smiles humorlessly to himself. Spoiled indeed. It seems maybe he's taken that magic touch for granted.

At the same time, he hasn't fully given up hope. Because, ironic as it is to say after admitting to being dazzled, if anyone could mend this mess of a break-up, it's Luffy. And Sanji thinks (maybe childish as it is) that he still trusts his captain to do that.

He _is_ pathetic, isn't he?

A knock sounds at the door, startling the chef from his thoughts.

"Sanji?" Chopper calls. "Nami's back from the concierge desk."

"I'll be right there."

Sanji lights his seventh cigarette for the day and throws the empty carton in the trash.

After a deep inhale, Sanji stands and prepares to face what he's sure will be another unsettling conversation. Exiting the men's room, he goes down one door and knocks.

"Come in," Nami's beautiful voice entreats him. Sanji happily obeys. The entire crew (aside from Usopp) is assembled in the ladies' room. Nami and Robin are perched on one of the beds while Luffy and Chopper sit at the table. Ever uncouth, Zoro's leaning against the wall. Sanji makes a short sound of annoyance before taking the third seat at the table, angling it towards the women.

Sanji does his best to avoid staring at the two beds that Nami and Robin will be sprawled across in a few hours, innocently and unconscious, exposed to the dark caress of night and her sensual shadows . . .

He jerks himself out of his very occupying thoughts. As the one who demanded they have this conversation tonight, he should probably pay attention.

"Alright, so what's going on?" Zoro begins, gruff as ever.

"Before we start, may I ask you something?" Robin addresses their captain.

"What?" he asks.

"Luffy-kun, what you said to Usopp, the same applies to me, does it not?" she asks, maybe even challenges. "I'm a danger to the crew, so I should leave too."

Sanji barely holds his shout of denial back. Never, she could never be a burden! If Luffy even proposes kicking Robin, his beautiful nymph, off the crew, Sanji will be the next to leave. Before he can accuse their captain and assure Robin, Luffy's speaking.

"Robin, do you want us to die?"

Sanji only resists scoffing. She would never! As for the woman in question, she merely remains silent.

"Do you want us to risk our lives?" Luffy asks.

Her tempting lips remain still, like perfect statues.

"Do you want us to leave you behind to keep us safe?"

Robin gives the smallest of nods, merely a subtle tilt of her head, and Luffy smiles.

"That's the difference. You aren't dangerous to the crew. You aren't risking our lives. We're risking them because you are our nakama. None of us are going to knowingly sail to our deaths because Usopp can't handle saying goodbye to the Merry. That isn't friendship, it's stubbornness. It's bad even, because he wants us to hurt ourselves. I don't like that."

Sanji agrees with their silly captain. Robin would never want them to hurt themselves needlessly— actually, she'd never want them to hurt themselves for her even if it was necessary. From what the chef's seen, she strays to the self-sacrificing side of the spectrum, just as her caring, benevolent disposition suggests.

"Alright," she says, smiling softly.

Luffy takes his straw hat off his head and tosses it across the room to Robin, who catches it with the aid of one of her flower-hands.

"Give it back to me when we leave Water 7, okay?"

She holds the hat carefully in her hands and nods.

Sanji smiles. If there's a guaranteed way to ensure someone doesn't leave, it's by making them responsible for returning Luffy's treasure.

"Why are you in danger, Robin?" Chopper asks.

"Cipher Police 9, better known as CP9," the archeologist begins. "Created by the government to be one of the most elite and secretive operations, the members are trained from an early age for espionage and assassination. They handle only the most serious criminals and threats to the World Government."

"And they're after you?!" Chopper utters with wide eyes.

"Why?" Sanji asks. How could anyone want to hurt someone so incredibly kind and perfect? He irritably taps his cigarette on the edge of the ashtray in the center of the table.

"The World Government has been after me for some time," Robin admits. "As a child, they pinned an 80,000,000 bounty on my head."

"That's a little over the top," Zoro says.

Robin shrugs. "I have the capacity to be a rather large threat to them, but I truly have no interest in upsetting the order of things. All I want is to be left alone, truly."

"So these CP9 people are in Water 7?" Zoro asks.

"Earlier we ran into an undercover agent in the streets. They only came to intimidate me into joining, no real harm was done." Here Robin pauses. "According to Luffy-kun, CP9 has infiltrated the Galley-La shipbuilding company. I'm still uncertain as to why they would go there. What is their purpose, Captain?"

Luffy hums. "The bad guys want play-doh."

"What?" Sanji asks, bewildered.

"Luffy-kun, what is play-doh?" Robin inquires intently.

"Hmm? Oh, I keep saying it wrong, huh?" Luffy scratches his head. "Plue? Playton? Pluto?"

"Luffy—" Robin gasps, actually _gasps_. "Are you talking about Pluton?"

"That's it!" He smiles. "It's this super bad weapon the evil guys want."

"A super bad weapon, huh?" Sanji reiterates. Something about the glib way Luffy says that makes Sanji worry it's a complete and total understatement.

"I— it has the power to destroy the world," Robin explains stunned.

Sanji coughs and splutters at her words. Everyone else displays similar reactions of shock, except Luffy, who apparently already knew this. Robin _never_ speaks flippantly, so if she says it can destroy the world, Sanji is going to start preparing rations for the apocalypse. An understatement indeed.

"What does this have to do with Robin though?" Nami asks after she gets over her shock.

"They want Robin because she can read pony gifs," Luffy explains.

"Poneglyphs," the archeologist corrects, still a little dazed.

Weren't those the things that Robin was after in Alabasta? After turning in Mr. 2, King Nefertari had nodded and led her to some secret cave where there were Poneglyphs, apparently. Though Sanji doesn't know how, the Poneglyphs tie back to Robin's dream to discover the truth about the Void Century.

Her ambitious dream is truly aweing.

"Yeah, Iceberg, he's the mayor and he runs Galley-La too. They think he has the instructions for the play-doh because he studied under Tom."

" _Pluton,"_ Robin corrects.

"What she said. He doesn't though. Franky does."

"The shipwright from this afternoon?!" Nami demands, confused.

"Oh. Oh," Robin utters, and Sanji can see the puzzle pieces coming together in her beautiful mind.

"Okay, so what do we do now?" Zoro asks their captain.

"Sleep."

"Idiot! About CP9!" Sanji shouts with shark-teeth.

"I'm serious," he whines. "Right now they're waiting for Robin to turn herself in, which she won't. They might send one of two more people to try and persuade her. After that, they'll probably attack us. We'll fight back and protect Robin. If they figure out Franky has the blueprints, then I want to help him too. He's gonna be our shipwright."

Nami blinks. "That was . . ."

"Too logical." Sanji shakes his head. "Chopper, will you check for a fever?"

"Ehh? I'm fine!"

"Seriously though, Luffy. How do you know all of this?" Nami asks. "You've never been to Water 7 before, have you?"

"Well." Luffy pauses. "I have."

"When?" Sanji asks.

"In another lifetime."

Sanji moves forward to kick the idiot, but as ever, he ducks out of the way.

"Shitty captain! If you aren't going to answer seriously, don't answer at all!"

Luffy smiles mysteriously (and it's ridiculous that someone as dense and simple as Luffy can be cryptic and enigmatic) before declaring he's going to sleep.

That's when Luffy starts lying down on the ground in the ladies' room.

"Idiot! What are you doing!" Sanji snaps.

"You can't sleep here!" Nami tells him.

"I am."

"What's wrong with the other room?" Robin asks.

"You aren't in it."

His subtly suggestive words slice through the noise and leave them all staring in and utterly bamboozled and almost frightened silence.

"I have to protect you," he continues, and everyone in the room lets out a sigh of relief.

"You can do it from the men's cabin," Nami says sternly.

But Luffy is staring at Robin in that blank, intense way he tends to. Robin blinks, before slowly nodding.

"Please take one of my pillows." The beautiful, dark-haired woman offers a pillow to the stupid captain who smiles and accepts the gift he doesn't deserve to receive.

"Thanks!"

"Don't make Robin-schwan give you one of her pillows!" Sanji snatches it and presents it back to Robin with a flourish before stalking over to the men's room and grabbing one of their pillows.

"Take this, you idiot."

Luffy laughs. "Okay, thanks Sanji."

"Idiot," he reiterates under his breath.

As unhappy as he is, he knows when he's lost a fight. Without Robin and Nami arguing, Sanji doesn't have much ground to stand on. Maybe tomorrow he should ask to stand guard over their gorgeous, serene figures, and be able to watch their perfect skin shimmer in the moonlight~

When Sanji and the other men are startled awake by the sounds of crashing glass from next door, and go over to see Luffy beating the snot out of a dark-clad assailant, Sanji decides to add more meat to breakfast tomorrow.

* * *

 **.**

 **.**

 **.**

 **So, I struggled about what I should do for this chapter because there are so man different groups moving at the same time. Then I realized Luffy is still the most powerful. And as he's Luffy, he's going to take the most straightforward path to his nakama, regardless of the other moving pieces, and regardless of the multiple mind-fucks he gives other people along the way. So, we have this chapter. I'm worried it's too much of a difference from the original in some ways. Let me know what you think though.**

 **Robin goes along with Luffy, but she is still pretty messed up in her thinking. She thinks she's going to burn up with them and it gives her peace. So by no means is she over what's happened to her, nor cured of her destructive thought processes. While Luffy is there to have this important convsersation with her, I don't think she could change a lifetime of her strange self-sacrificing fatalism. Not yet anyways. The destruction of PC9 is important to that development, I think.**

 **Merry is broken. I think going to Skypiea is enough to damage the keel. Of course, if Luffy wanted to spare the Merry, he could have tried to avoid getting involved with that business. But part of his new maturity is that he understands what a ship's part in a crew is, how it operates as a nakama.**

 **On the business with Usopp: I think Luffy losing his crew in the past has made him take their safety much more seriously. As such he takes Usopp's dismissal of them in favor of the _Going Merry_ more serious. At the same time, I also thinks Luffy believes Usopp will do the right thing and apologize so they can be nakama again. But there's no way Luffy would agree to fight that _terrible_ fight with Usopp again. Ugh, so painful. **

**Again, write me if you agree or disagree. Or if there are flaws. Some of y'all have caught some already, I just haven't prioritized going back and changing the chapters. Any feedback will be appreciated, especially on this chapter because I've agonized over it for so long.**

 **EDIT: Shameless advertising... I posted a new OPxHP fic. There is Ace and Luffy brotherlyness galore, so do check it out, if you're interested.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	15. From Me to You

**Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for the wait... More than that, I am so appreciative of all the support I've been given! Here it is,**

 **Thank you for reviewing since the last time I posted:**

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 **It means a lot to have so much support in my absence.**

 **And my fantastic Betas as well, breather and HadenXCharm, who both really fought RL circumstances to edit this for me, so sincere thanks.**

 **And now:**

* * *

 _Chapter 15: From Me to You_

* * *

"You all have new bounties!" A member of the Franky Family starts lying out the sheets of paper, showing all of the Straw Hats. The crew and several members of the Franky Family are spread out in the entryway of the bungalow.

Chopper smiles eagerly until he sees the amount under his name.

"What?! Only 50 beri?!" Chopper exclaims.

"What?! Only 300,000,000 beri?!" Luffy cries out from beside him.

"Idiot! Don't be upset about something like that! The higher your bounty is, the more the Marines are going to be after us," Nami scolds. "It's already bad enough that _I_ have a bounty now too. Oh god..."

"Mine's only 50 beri!" Chopper shouts. "How can you be upset with 300,000,000?!" While Chopper admits he doesn't know the bounty system on the sea very well, he's sure 300,000,000 is a nice bounty.

"It should be bigger." Luffy pouts. "I'm really strong! And at this rate I'm never going to catch up to Ace."

"Your bounty doubled and you took out a government syndicate," Zoro tells their captain. "That isn't enough for you?"

"It tripled last time," Luffy mutters.

Chopper wants to yell at the captain some more, but as a doctor, he really should check on Sanji and see if he's going to recover from his sudden depressive episode. Sanji doesn't really have a right to be upset with a 70,000,000 beri bounty, even if the drawn picture isn't exactly flattering. It isn't like he got called a _pet_ of all things. Chopper actually kind of wants to join Sanji in the corner where he's sulking, but someone has to be an adult here.

"Don't worry, Sanji. I'm sure they'll get a picture for the next poster when your bounty increases," Chopper says.

"Even with Luffy, that'll take a few months at least." Sanji moans. "And all the while the beautiful mellorine~ will see _this_ atrocity!" Speaking it out loud seems to have sucked his strength in a strange phenomenon Chopper attributes to psychological issues embedded deeply in the chef's psyche that the doctor should probably analyze one of these days. But for now, Sanji just collapses to the ground on his knees. Chopper winces as he pats the chef's back with his hoof. Sanji really shouldn't be resting on his knees. His legs were damaged more seriously than usual, but considering they were up against a syndicate of specialized government assassins, Chopper thinks it's fair.

That last battle was their hardest yet; they had been prepared to fight the members of CP9, Chopper never realized how seriously strong they were. Even though everything ended up going the way Luffy said it would (four members of CP9 attacking them at the hotel and effectively destroying a large part of downtown Water 7 as they all spread out in their separate fights) all of them got hurt. Even _Luffy,_ who's barely gotten a scratch the entire adventure! To be fair, apparently Lucci was the strongest member in the history of CP9, but still... Admittedly it wasn't that much damage— nothing like what Sanji and Zoro got. Nobody's wounds were anything too damaging though, and they wouldn't have become so serious, except after CP9 fled the scene, with only Lucci and Fukuro getting fully K.O.'d, Franky came running up to them and asked for their help breaking into the headquarters of Galley-La.

Apparently, Franky was having a secret meeting with Iceberg when the mayor was assaulted by his secretary and one of his foremen. The salvager irritably raved that Iceberg then pushed him out of the window, leaving him stunned from his sudden freefall from the twenty-fifth floor. The agents of CP9 locked down the building, and it seemed like there was nothing that Franky could do— and in that moment, Chopper supposes Luffy came to mind, which isn't so surprising. Something about his captain seems to leave the impression that he's willing and _able_ to help people make things better.

Although some of the Straw Hat members were rather beat-up, when Franky asked for their help with desperate eyes that screamed he had no one else he could turn to, Zoro shook off Chopper's attending hooves and stood up, stubborn and determined, Sanji grabbed his coat jacket, Robin carefully wiped away the blood from the scrapes on her face, and Nami pulled out her clima-tact. And Luffy wasn't making assumptions on any of their opinions when he agreed to come and help.

So everyone got a bit more battered from their second round with the CP9 agents, but they were successful. They saved the mayor's life and gained Franky's eternal gratitude. And that gratitude manifested itself in the (now self-identified) shipwright volunteering to build them what he claimed would be one of the strongest, most amazing ships on sea. Beyond that, the mayor offered them a house by the sea to rest in, which all of them are currently occupying. And beyond _that_ , Iceberg volunteered to help Franky personally, so both of Tom's workers are currently piecing together a ship for Chopper and his crew. Their life is sometimes a little stunning to the doctor.

"Next time a group like that tries to take away or hurt one of our nakama, let's declare war on the World Government." Luffy nods to himself, seeming intent to increase his bounty.

"NO!" Chopper yells in a chorus with nearly everyone else.

Robin, seated at a nearby table, chuckles at their antics. Chopper really likes it when she laughs now. He liked it before, but now the sound is much lighter and more melodic. Everything about the archeologist is like that since CP9 got taken out. Her default mild smile reaches a deeper level in her eyes that Chopper didn't know existed. It's nice. It feels like Robin — _all_ of Robin— belongs to them now. Even Nami has let up on her subtle dislike.

In Robin's lap is Luffy's straw hat, which she still hasn't returned, and he hasn't asked for yet, apparently. Whenever they go outside, Robin puts it on her head to avoid the bright sun, and in those moments she looks like she's glowing.

"Fine, but on our next adventure we have to take out a Shichibukai then," Luffy compromises.

"WE'RE NOT DOING THAT EITHER!"

Luffy laughs heartily at their outrage.

"Wait, maybe we should," Sanji says with sudden vigor. "That will send our bounties up, surely! New posters will have to be sent out."

"Stop it! You'll jinx us!" Nami snaps. "Honestly, you two. You're—"

The front wall explodes, sending rubble and wood flying into the room. After bracing themselves from the sudden onslaught of debris and shaking off the surprise, everyone tenses, staring at the newly-made opening with anticipation and some fear. When the dust and dirt kicked up from the small explosion clears, they all see an older man wearing a Marine uniform. Zoro places his hands on his swords, and Chopper prepares to shift forms if he needs to. The doctor glances towards their captain to see how he intends to deal with the situation.

Chopper does a double take at the absolute terror on Luffy's face.

"I forgot!" Luffy exclaims hysterically, his tone a mix of horror and despair.

The Marine shoots forward, almost faster than Chopper can see. He makes a couple grabs for Luffy, which the teen captain desperately dodges, but his steps are stuttering in his nervousness. Eventually, the old man gets a hand on the cuff of Luffy's shirt and lifts him in the air.

"How dare you forget your grandfather!" the old man shouts before slamming a fist down on Luffy's head, throwing the teen into the floor.

And all the Straw Hats present stare dumbly for a few minute before the exclamations start.

"Grandfather?!"

"A Marine is Luffy's—"

From outside, Chopper hears similar cries, and as he looks into the gap, he sees an entire _platoon_ of Marines standing outside. What is happening…?

"Ouch!" Luffy sits up from his sprawl on the floor and clutches his head.

"Ouch? You're made of rubber!" Sanji's expression slowly changes to scared realization. "For it to hurt a rubber man..."

"He's strong, don't fight him." Luffy is still rubbing the massive bump on his head. "He nearly killed me a ton of times when I was a kid."

"You ungrateful grandson!" the Marine accuses. "You're the one who asked for training!"

"You didn't have to keep us awake for two weeks straight to train us!" Luffy protests.

"Endurance training," the Marine explains dismissively.

"Or throw us into a sinking rowboat in shark infested waters when neither of us could swim!"

Luffy's grandfather snorts. "That's both your and Ace's faults for eating those damn Devil's Fruit in the first place!"

"And when you abandoned us on an island of cannibals?!"

"That was a special occasion." The Marine smiles. "It was your tenth birthday! We couldn't just do training the normal way!"

"That birthday sucked," Luffy mutters.

"Are you complaining?" the Marine asks lowly, fist raising menacingly.

"No! I'm not complaining at all!" Luffy quickly assures him, scrambling on the floor to get away.

And Chopper cannot blame Luffy for his cowardly behavior if even a third of what he said is true.

"This explains so much," Nami says from the side.

"I understand Luffy's undying spirit to live now," Sanji comments, hands reaching for a cigarette.

"Luffy's grandfather is scary," Chopper says, taking a step back himself.

"Now, don't you think you owe me an apology?" the old man demands. "After all the training I gave you two so you could be strong Marines, both you and Ace leave to become worthless pirates!"

"We always told you we weren't gonna be Marines!" Luffy shouts back.

"Back talk?!"

"No! No! Never!" Luffy cries. And Chopper just sighs as he watches a similar pattern taking form.

"And you all." The Marine turns on the rest of the Straw Hats, and nearly all of them jump. "You're following my stupid grandson then? You're all good for nothing pirates too, eh? Joined his crew?"

The tense, anxiety ridden feeling that comes before a battle roars back into Choppers mind and he tenses, hooves slowly reaching for his backpack to find a rumble-ball.

"Then I should introduce myself!" he says, making nearly everyone fall over from shock. "My name is Monkey D. Garp, vice-admiral for the Marines."

"G—Garp?!" Nami exclaims. "The war-hero?"

"A war hero?!" Chopper says with wide-eyes.

"He went toe-to-toe with Roger multiple times. Many said they were evenly matched," Robin elaborates.

"No wonder Luffy's scared of him," Zoro mutters.

"I might one day have the pleasure of reeling all of you in." Garp laughs. "So I think introductions are in order. Don't bother introducing yourselves though, your names have already graced my desk."

Chopper isn't a fan of the ominous way those words are spoken.

"Wait," Nami says. "'One day?' So does that mean today you're going to let us go?"

Luffy's grandfather narrows his small eyes on her and she instinctively recoils. Nami looks about to apologize just like Luffy (which Chopper neither faults nor judges her for), when Garp lets out a long sigh.

"I guess not. Taking out CP9 was damn stupid, but at least you didn't do something utterly moronic, like declare war on the World Government or something. I'd have to teach you some manners if you were that much of an idiot." Garp laughs like this is a joke, but all the Straw Hats are looking faint.

Is it possible that he overheard what Luffy said?

Speaking of, their captain looks positively pale. In fact, if Chopper wasn't well aware of Luffy's red-meat uptake, Chopper would be worried if his captain was anemic.

"Yeah..." Luffy manages after a moment.

"Between you and Ace, I don't know how I've managed to keep as young and spry as I have." Garp huffs a sigh. "I guess it's my curse to have two rude, ungrateful brats for grandsons."

Well, Chopper maybe sees how raising Luffy must have been hell, but Ace is one of the politest pirates Chopper has ever met— maybe even the politest human. Then again, with a marine for a grandfather...

"Between the two of you, that's 800,000,000 beri. You're drawing a lot of attention to yourselves," Garp says, seeming serious at this point, almost weary.

Chopper's curiosity piques at the tone. It's familiar to him; warmth shrouded by layers and layers of derision and seeming coldness. Doctor Kureha…

Chopper takes a mental step away from the image and uses his past guardian as a lens to review the conversation. After running though it through in his head, he's left with an intense sense of concern hidden within the barbs and the stories of all Garp put Luffy and Ace through as children. But concern for what? Luffy's life as a pirate? His imprisonment? Other Marines trying to claim his bounty? These are perfectly reasonable concerns, but to subject children to all that for what? For punishment? Or is he trying to make them stronger for something they have to face in the future? The way Chopper sees it, if Garp was worried about Ace and Luffy becoming pirates, then training them would be the last thing he would do— it would only make Garp's duty as a Marine messier and more difficult in the end.

Even though Ace and Luffy told their grandfather in the past that they wanted to be pirates, Garp trained them. What was he afraid of then? Something he knew they'd have to face eventually, perhaps. Maybe Garp himself?

Chopper doesn't have enough information.

He puts the thoughts and the sudden spark of homesickness away for later pondering, and instead wonders how Luffy will reply to the concern. Which it turns out, is by not replying to it.

Luffy's eyes appear serious. "I'm getting a musician next."

Garp laughs, but it's slower. "I'm glad you at least saved that for last."

"Not for lack of trying," Zoro mutters from the side. Luffy starts laughing too and Garp's chuckle builds back into the bellow they all heard before.

And even though Luffy's body still has the faintest of tremors running over it, Chopper can maybe see how they're related.

It nags at the tips of Choppers horns though, even as he starts laughing too, what their grandfather is worried Luffy will have to face in the future and why he needs the strength of a monster to do it. But whatever it is, surely Luffy is strong enough to best it, right?

* * *

Franky looks around his ship with pride. It's weird, being able to say it's _his_ ship.

He doesn't care to do the math to figure out how long exactly it's been since he's built anything, let alone anything he's been proud of. And he is. He's so proud of what he's done. The _Thousand Sunny_ is a ship greater than any of the fantastic dream ships he designed as a child. Maybe it's because he can _sense_ it, feel the wood beneath his fingers, hear the lap of waves against the bow, smell the cooling tar that seals the planks. Dreams aren't supposed to be palpable, they're supposed to disappear once the sun rises. Standing atop them as the currents gently rock from side to side is the last thing a dream should be. After meeting Straw Hat and his lot, many impossible things are happening around him.

Franky sniffs as he recalls his last interaction with Straw Hat.

* * *

Franky paces outside of the bungalow for at least ten minutes, rubbing his head with frustration. He should just tell Straw Hat that he intends to build them the most magnificent ship that ever will be, free of charge, and head out. He almost sent a note, but that just isn't his style. And since he is building the most magnificent ship that ever will be, free of charge, he kind of wants to see their slack-jawed faces. He deserves that.

At the same time, something about their group makes Franky hesitate in approaching the door. They are a warm, strange family with dysfunction galore and misadventures aplenty. Even then, the love they feel for each other is unparalleled. He feels strange stepping into their circle, mostly because he gets a strange feeling of belonging that just shouldn't happen with relative strangers. Yes, they took down an elite group of assassins, saved Iceberg's life, and averted a governmental coup, but that doesn't mean he knows any of them! …Even if it feels like he does.

Franky shouldn't be putting up with this indecisiveness shit. He should be building the ship right now. He can get Iceberg to tell them later.

Franky is startled from his thoughts when he runs into someone. Due to his super girth and weight, Franky's fine, but the littler guy is laid out on his butt. The other man has a strangely long nose and curly dark hair. He mutters to himself before standing from the ground.

"Geez, watch where you're walking!" Long-nose says.

Franky narrows his eyes and starts to retort but Long-nose's expression has gone blank as he finally stares at Franky.

Franky stands up straighter. Tales of his super skills must have spread through the island.

Long-nose confirms his suspicions. "You were with them. Lu— the Straw Hat pirates when those assassins attacked."

Franky nods and strikes a pose. "Oh yeeeahhh! The super assassin slayer, at your service."

"Are you going to meet with them?"

"Huh? Yeah…maybe. I don't really know if I want to. That Straw Hat-bro is kind of an odd one."

Long-nose nods. "More than you know…" There's a pause. "You should go in there. They'll be happy to see you."

There's a dark sense of self-deprecation that has Franky frowning. Before he can say anything, Long-nose is walking away.

"Hey, did you come to meet with them too?" Franky calls, but receives no response.

Franky hesitates a moment before turning and entering the bungalow Iceberg supplied them with.

In the living room, Franky finds Chopper and Zoro, the former reading and the latter napping on the couch. Through the open French doors, Franky sees Nami and Sanji lounging outside. Straw Hat and Robin are somewhere else it seems.

"Franky!" Chopper exclaims, standing up and walking to Franky. The cyborg can see the doctor looking over his patched up body critically.

"Yo," Franky greets. "Where's Straw Hat? I need to talk to him about something."

Chopper points to one of the doors, one of the only ones that are shut. He walks over, aware of the eyes on his back. They aren't judgmental, but they are very present.

Franky enters without knocking and finds Straw Hat lying on his back on a bed, halfway over the edge of it so that he's nearly falling off. Nico Robin sits in a nearby chair, straw hat in her lap and she's reading a story to her captain when she cuts off her sentence halfway.

"Franky!" Luffy cheers, arms stretching out and nearly overbalancing him to the floor.

Nico Robin closes her book, stands and dips her head. "We'll finish up this chapter later."

"Mmmkay."

Nico Robin leaves, shutting the door behind her. Luffy keeps his position, head dangling off the side of the bed and a few inches from the ground. His rubbery neck makes his head bounce with his breath and Franky gets a little sick just looking at it.

"What's up?"

Franky puffs his chest out. "Iceberg said he'll fund your new ship, but I'm going to design and build it."

Luffy face spreads into a beaming grin and he extends his hands out in glee.

"Yes!" He laughs. "The best shipwright is going to design the ship that will take me to One Piece!"

Never let it be said that Straw Hat doesn't dream big. Franky can't help but strike a pose and smile, because it's a damn true statement, and his superness deserves recognition every now and then. Franky starts explaining about the wood he found, and some of his plans to the captain who oohs and ahhs and is impressed by everything Franky says. Franky strikes more poses.

"Anything you want in particular?" Franky asks at the end of his explanation for his preliminary ideas. "I saw that the _Going Merry_ had a grove for mikan trees, so that has to be included. Is there anything else?"

Franky is expecting a request for a huge kitchen, or maybe a sentimental list of all the different areas his nakama need special made for them (Luffy's that kind of idiot and it doesn't make Franky cry at all, even if he is inspirational and moving), or maybe even for Luffy to blow the question off.

He isn't expecting Luffy to look up at him, upside-down on the bed and exclaim—

"Build me a ship that can circumnavigate the world!"

Franky feels like he's been launched into the air, and he's hovering at the top of that arc, floating before gravity kicks back in. For some reason, it hasn't though, not yet. His mouth falls open and he stares.

"I… I will." What else can he say?

"Good." Luffy nods to himself, like his asking this is par for the course, something he's been meaning to say all along, just hasn't gotten to it until now.

It's surreal.

"You can't know a ship's circumnavigated the world, you know, if you aren't on it."

Frankie bristles, but not near as much as he normally would at someone suggesting he leave his family behind. Maybe because he thinks Luffy already knows about those considerations, but he's asking Franky anyway, to do this thing bigger than it all.

"I can't leave," Franky says.

"If the ship breaks and needs to be fixed, there isn't anyone in the world who can do it, but you," Straw Hat points out.

"That isn't true," he tries.

"Not the ship that's going to circumnavigate the world, not the one that'll reach One Piece," Luffy says. "Not just anyone can."

That _is_ true. The thought of anyone adding or mending the ship he's already built in his mind makes him shift his gears uncomfortably. But he can't really be thinking of leaving the Franky Family, can he?

"You're a wanted person now, you know?" Luffy says. "Someone from the family came down and begged for us to take you so you'd be safe."

"They shoulda minded their own damn business!"

"They're family," Luffy says, shrugging his shoulders and making his elastic head bob down to the floor.

Franky grits his teeth. Hates and loves his family for sticking their noses where they don't belong, because he understands where they're coming from too well and that makes him want to swear holy hell up and down the seashore.

But the strength flows out of him. He runs a hand over his hair, growls, half-heartedly.

"Well, shit." He turns to exit, can't face the captain's piercing eyes. "I can't promise anything. I still need to talk to my sisters. But I might add space for an exceptionally super cyborg on your ship."

Luffy laughs and cheers and says thank you. Franky doesn't turn around. He leaves and shuts the door behind him. He stares at the wood floor for a long time before walking out on the veranda for some fresh air.

Nami's still lounging on a lawn chair reading a book, but Sanji has disappeared. Zoro has taken a place against a support beam on the porch, still sleeping. Franky walks past Nami and leans on the metal railing, looks out over the ocean, sees the seatrain on the horizon and wonders how Kokoro's doing.

He feels frustrated at his family and the sudden situation he's in with the law, but he feels this wave of relief. It's been a rollercoaster week with the business with CP9 and Iceberg and this weird brat who knows _everything_ about Franky and his life, but like it's an offhand thing, instead of uncanny. To know all the information about Pluton and Tom was one impossible matter, but to say the words that float in Franky's dreams and thoughts like a wish for a future that he's never been able to build before despite all his skill—Luffy says it, and brings it about. And it's super but just impossible. He doubts he'll get a straightforward answer even if he does pry.

"Did he completely guess something no one could ever know?" Nami asks, turning a page of her book.

Franky turns and nods. "Yeah."

"He does that," Zoro says, cracking an eye open.

Sanji steps out of the house and onto the porch. He gives Nami a tropical looking drink with a little umbrella, he presses a cold beer against the samurai's head (who growls before taking it), and he offers Franky a glass of lemonade. Franky's surprised at being included, but it fits this little group. He sips, and it is _delicious._ Drinks dispersed, Sanji lights a cigarette and takes a drag.

Sanji says, "He does it all the time. He told us he was going to find a shipwright the next island we went to, and here we are, the shipbuilding capital of the world."

"Someone should really get him to quit it already," Nami says. "It's getting out of hand."

"Or apply it to getting more beautiful women on the crew," the chef says, eyes glazing over.

"You get used to Luffy's _knowing_ ," Nami assures as she leans towards Franky. "It stops being so weird eventually, though he still has his moments. But you'll see soon anyways, I guess."

Franky stares into his lemonade, doesn't quite know how to tell her he hasn't said 'yes' yet. But he has a feeling they'd blow off his words if he did give them a voice, because who is he kidding?

"This whole island has been a moment," Zoro says.

"So, it isn't always so crazy?" Franky asks.

Sanji chokes on his cigarette, Nami almost swallows her straw and Zoro snorts. After recovering, Nami surprises him with a merry laugh so bright he wouldn't have thought could come from her.

"This is completely normal," Zoro says. "A little more government than usual, but still about a regular adventure for us."

"Can you imagine, a _normal_ island where Luffy doesn't find some kind of trouble?" Sanji asks, tapping his cigarette and smiling.

"Our strangest adventure yet!" Nami says. The three pirates chuckle together at that, and it's an unwinding moment Franky likes being in the middle of.

He makes his excuses for leaving; he has a feeling if he doesn't escape now, he'll be roped into some kind of party and he won't leave until this time tomorrow. Regardless of whether he'll be on the ship or not, he does need to get started on it.

This time, he meets the intent gazes of the Straw Hats and bids them goodbye with a smile and wave. He glances at the shut door and hears a rattling snore in exchange. He leaves the bungalow grinning. Franky knows the figurehead has to be something equally bright and joyous as the group, something eternal.

It's been a fantastic week, hard to completely grasp, but Franky thinks the most impossible part might just be that Monkey D. Luffy asked someone to build him a ship that can circumnavigate the world, and miraculously, he asked the only son of a gun with the chutzpah to do just that. There's certainty in Luffy's words, like he knew Franky would say yes, like he knows Franky can do it. The lack of doubt is a balm on a sore in his soul he didn't know he had.

There's been a lot of doubt in his life since Tom died, even before that. But now, all he feels is confidence.

He puts a skip in his step and scares some passersby, but he doesn't spare them a glance. He's got a masterpiece to build!

* * *

Now, nearly three weeks later, he stands on the finished project of what is without a doubt the most stunning craft to ever grace the waters. Only the details need to be added in now: the carvings on the wall molding to match the bookcases in what's to be Nico Robin's study; more leaves for the kitchen table so it can be expanded for whoever comes onto the ship and eats (whether they're there to stay, or not); making sure the straps he installed are strong enough to hold Zoro's weights and keep all of Chopper's medical supplies tacked to the wall in case of choppy weather; and a proper desk for cartography (one that can be moved if Nami wants to change where she works), etc. etc.

To make such special details, he's had to spend some time with the Straw Hats to get a grasp of their needs, to see how they move through space so he can shape the ship around them. It hasn't been a burden, spending time with them. Franky gets along well with all of them, he finds, almost better than some of them seem to get along with each other ( Zoro and Sanji), of course, that's just Franky's super personality.

There was one minor blip as he was trying to figure out how many specialized rooms there needed to be. Luffy said during dinner, blissfully offhand, that there needed to be a place to store ammunition and different kinds of slingshot ammos, as well as some spare paint for art projects. The rest of the table went quiet, and nearly all of them had different reactions, with Zoro looking dubious, Robin concerned, Chopper and Nami relieved, and Sanji smug.

Franky's heard about their crewmate, the sniper, mostly through how they talk around the subject. What they don't say leaves an impression that's slowly formed a shape and story to Franky. There was a crewmate who left the crew or was booted off. Something to do with the safety of the crew and the previous ship. Franky's curious, but he's never been one to pry. He take the measurements to build the cupboards for ammo and paint because Luffy asked him to. However it pans out, Franky isn't sure he completely cares.

Franky walks below deck and reaches an area he had, some weeks ago, made a cursory act of parsing away for himself if he were to join the crew.

He's had a lot of time to think. His family had been in united, raucous and tearful support of his leaving. Iceberg was a jerk, but seemed to think in that weirdly find way of his that Franky and the Straw Hats deserved each other. For himself, well… the past weeks, he's seen his magnificent ship come together under his and Iceberg's hands. And he can't think of anywhere else he could want to be.

Franky wants to die on this ship, if he can. So with a weighted hand, he measures out the length of his worktable, his docking system, a place for a cyborg-sized hammock, and where he can stock a minifridge of cola. It's almost solemn, and when he walks away from the ship to go to sleep that night, he still feels her gentle rocking, the _Thousand Sunny_ 's, and knows it's the rhythm of his future.

* * *

Usopp sits atop the _Going Merry's_ figurehead and looks out at the horizon. He's assuming the pose that Luffy had taken for so many hours in their time sailing, the one facing to the horizon, where he could always spot the island before anyone else. Usopp doesn't see anything of the kind waiting for him. _Merry_ floats benignly beside the town of Water 7, steadily anchored.

Behind him, Usopp knows people are battening down their hatches, covering their yards with tarps and adding wooden supports to their houses. Aqua Laguna is coming.

Usopp remembers hearing about it a little when they first came to town, scuttlebutt around the bait shops. He didn't think they'd be here long enough for it to be a problem for them. Now it is a problem, but he suspects only for him. Usopp heard that a man named Franky and the mayor of the city, Iceberg, are building the Straw Hat pirates a ship among ships in return for their help in a time of crisis, in addition to putting them up. The Straw Hats' most recent adventure had been the talk of the town, and Usopp had only heard about it the day after it happened.

He'd felt worry when he'd first heard, wondered if they were alright. Did anyone get seriously hurt without Usopp there to back them up? They should have told him, he would have helped… As he listened more to the townsfolk and heard all the details, a numbness set in.

They were all fine. They defeated a secret government organization supposed to be some of the strongest in history. Everyone lived. No one needed a guy with a slingshot to survive the adventure.

And didn't that just prove Luffy's words about being useless?

 _(Luffy's words, or his own?)_

A few days after, Usopp stomped over to the bungalow where they were staying with the intention of checking up on them, making sure they were alright. And if someone begged him to stay and never ever leave them again, then perhaps he'd stick around.

He bumped into that big blue-haired cyborg that Usopp finally attached the name Franky to.

The dichotomy of their situation made Usopp sick. Franky was going to walk into the bungalow and be asked to join the crew with the warmest tones and most earnest promises Luffy keeps stored behind his eyes for special occasions (if Franky hadn't already joined the crew by that point). And Usopp had been in the crew, should have been inside with them, waiting for a new nakama to be one of them. But he was on the outside, pacing and pacing. He'd seen Franky in and then ran back to the outskirts where he's been keeping _Merry_ docked. He locked himself in the captain's cabin and laid on his back in the dark until sunrise.

Aqua Laguna has been creeping closer and closer in his periphery for a while. Time has been flying by while he's practiced his acceptance speech over and over for Luffy's inevitable apology. He practiced an apology speech for his own actions only once (for the craft of it), but couldn't seem to make the words move past the lump in his throat, so he went back to acceptance speeches. Nearly a month has passed him by, like a brisk sea breeze, in this fashion.

Aqua Laguna, like Luffy, was something he's just been avoiding thinking about for a long time.

But not anymore. Today's the day. And he, in all his tactical mastery, has no plans.

He doesn't have the money to store the _Merry_ in one of the higher docks— those have been booked months in advance it seems. _Merry_ is still too sick for him to ride her out into open water, so he was forced to stay here and face _Merry's_ inevitable destruction.

Today, Aqua Laguna is due to hit Water 7. As he understands it, the water will pull back from the edges of the island, assembling energy for one massive tidal wave that will sweep through the lower half of town. Usopp will sit on the _Merry_ , pat her head as her keel scratches against the ocean floor when the water recedes, and weep with her when the wave finally comes for them and destroys them both.

Maybe he should be upset, as he looks into the horizon and pictures this scenario over and over, but the emotion, just like the apology, is stuck in his throat. He thinks he would have liked to help the Straw Hats on this adventure, just one last one before he and _Merry_ went, but it didn't happen. They've moved on. And he's sitting here, waiting to be stuck here permanently, his body amid the wrecked parts of what used to be a beautiful ship that will likely wash up together eventually.

He's so wrapped up in his thoughts, that when Luffy sits next to him he nearly falls off the figurehead.

"Luffy!" He bites his tongue. He didn't want to talk first, but surprise squeezed the word out of him. Well, this just puts the ball in Luffy's court.

Except Luffy doesn't say anything, doesn't look in Usopp's direction. Instead he stares off into the horizon, like usual, and it's like he sees something, it always seems that way, anyways.

Usopp looks out too, but this time he sees something too— a building form in the distance. Aqua Laguna.

"You shouldn't be here," Usopp says, swallowing some of his pride. "You need to get somewhere safe."

"You too," Luffy says.

Usopp shakes his head, pulls his legs up so he can wrap an arm around them.

"I belong here with the _Merry._ I'm not leaving her behind."

" _Merry_ wouldn't want you to die like this."

"What do you know about what _Merry_ wants?! You wanted to scrap her!"

Luffy frowns. "You know on Skypiea, when everything was suddenly fixed after the upshot. That was _Merry_ , right? A ship that goes so far to keep her passengers safe wants them to live."

The water level is sinking as they speak, and Usopp fights against his tears.

"What if I don't want to?"

A vein bulges in Luffy's throat, and his eyes become so intense Usopp feels he might light on fire. He waits for a shout or a punch, but it doesn't come.

"Don't," is all Luffy says.

"Why do you care?!" Usopp demands. "I can't contribute to your crew, you all did fine in the last fight without me! You don't need me, none of you do!"

"Did you ever think that we wanted you?!" Luffy finally shouts. "Did you ever think that you belonged with us because you had a dream and you wanted to be there, not because of what you can or can't do?!"

Usopp blinks, finds water covering his eyelashes and has to scrub it away.

Luffy continues, "Me and the ship, we have a job we have to do, otherwise we don't have a crew, and people can't chase their dreams. That's an expectation I choose and I want. I don't pin things on other people. I don't pin them on you."

Usopp can't think of a single counter-argument. They all chose their responsibilities. Usopp just didn't understand what his was… It was what he made it to be based on Luffy and the stories he'd heard as a kid, but reality never featured so heavily in his opinions. Now he realizes things are different than stories, and for one of the first times, it's even better.

And if _Merry_ did have a voice, for the first time, he thinks he can actually hear what she's saying. And it sounds like _live._

Luffy stands and jumps off the figurehead. He starts walking back to the town, and Usopp's mouth falls open.

"Luffy," he says, trying to get the captain's attention. It doesn't work. Luffy keeps walking. "Hey, Luffy!"

Should Usopp just follow him? Can it be the same unspoken agreement as last time? It seems a betrayal, of something.

Usopp looks down at _Merry_ , remembers Kaya's bright smile despite her wan demeanor and all the stress and suffering she'd only just undergone. He remembers his promise to her. He wants to leave this island so dreadfully all of a sudden it nauseates him. He wants to see other islands, meet new people, and try different things. He wants to see what all is out there… and no image of that is complete without Straw Hats, his crew, without his _nakama._

On the figurehead of the _Going Merry,_ Usopp bows his head so his nose touches her weathered paint. He draws his strength from his beloved ship to break down the block in his throat and finally gets the words out.

"I'm sorry," he says, little more than a whisper. "I'm sorry." Louder now. "I was stubborn! I didn't know— Didn't realize—" He's an ugly crier and he's sure he's making an absolute mess of himself, but as he glances up, Luffy turns around. And face to face he pleads, "Please, just once more, let me be your nakama!"

Luffy's face unfolds into something beautiful, bright and happy, ringed with tears and so relieved. Usopp laughs, and gets that even if he isn't necessarily needed (not now, anyways), he is truly, very wanted.

"Join my crew," Luffy says. A rubber hand shoots up towards Usopp, and he instantly takes it. The two snap together when Luffy's hand rescinds, but running into Luffy has never hurt before and now it only feels affirming.

"We gotta hurry," Luffy says, and the two start running towards the town. Usopp risks a look back at the _Going Merry,_ one last look, and then blanches at the astonishing sight of Aqua Laguna.

"Where are you all holed up?"

Luffy hums. Very few things end up as predicted when Luffy hums.

"We're not holed up, we're getting ready to leave right now."

A pause.

"WHAT?!" Usopp nearly trips. "How can you leave when the wave is coming?! Do you have another way out? Can the ship fly? Can we please, please wait? Are we going to die?"

Luffy laughs. "Nah, it can't fly, it's much better. And we can't really stay. My Grandfather is going to try and sink us the moment the storm has cleared, so we need to leave now."

"Your grandfather?"

"Yeah, he's scary. He's a vice-admiral in the Marines." Luffy stops and extends his hand to a post way off in the distance.

"Wait, wha—?" Usopp screams at Luffy grabs him and the two rocket across town, past the post he grabbed, and only barely hit against the sails of a large galleon without overshooting. Usopp slides down and falls on his head. He feels his spirit leaving his body.

Luffy pulls him up, no rest for the dead it seems.

"This is Franky." Luffy formally introduces them as the rain starts coming down _hard._ Usopp sees the entire crew staring at him and is more than a little moved to see they're all smiling and most all glassy-eyed. "Franky, this is Usopp."

Franky offers a fist-bump. "Nice to meet you, long-nose-bro."

Usopp pauses only a second before returning the gesture. Then Franky is in a fit of motion, off to the helm which he takes assuredly.

"How are we getting out of this?" Usopp asks Nami.

"We're going to jump over the wave," Robin answers instead, genial. Luffy's hat hangs around her neck by the string and she's soaked to the bone.

"Huh?" he manages. Because even for Luffy—

"Everyone take hold of something!" Franky says. The crew automatically complies, Zoro getting rope for them to tie themselves to the ship. Usopp attaches himself and then assists Chopper, whose hooves sometimes trip over the more complicated knots, especially when there's wet weather.

Luffy's given himself enough slack that he can haul up the main sail so everything's furled and tucked in. Usopp clutches the mast as he looks up at Aqua Laguna. Franky has brought them around the island so they're facing the monstrous wave. With some kind of counter-weight system, the whole ship leans back so they're at a steep angle.

Usopp's knees knock together and he and Chopper cling to each other. He doesn't have time for a speech or a comforting story about the time he averted a wave a bit larger than this one from hitting an island of rabbit-people by challenging the nearby sea-god to a surfing competition, which Usopp happened to win by a landslide— He doesn't have time, because Franky cries out:

" _Coup de Burst!"_ There's an explosion from the rear of the ship and suddenly, they're airborne in a tight upward arc climbing higher and higher up the wave. Between screams, Usopp glances off the side of the ship in time to see a little white and brown ship crash against the island and break apart.

 _"Thank you."_ A giggle, and soft whisper against his ear from something ethereal.

Usopp clutches the side of the ship tighter and takes a deep gasp and shouts into the wind. Luffy laughs like a maniac, Franky right along with him as the rest of them cling for dear life as they keep shooting upwards.

Usopp is two hundred percent sure they aren't going to make it until they do. The ship clips the very top of Aqua Laguna before landing on the water behind the crest and they're suddenly on their way down like it's reverse mountain and Usopp looks at his crew around his watering eyes from the rush of air. They're all here still, and then some— even if the wood isn't the same.

When they finally reach calm waters and they take a moment to catch their breaths and unwind (literally, in Chopper's case as he got all wrapped up in rope), Franky immediately starts diagnosing the ship, looking around at all the different pieces and talking aloud to himself on repairs.

And Usopp thinks, maybe it's time for him to explore different things he can be, rather than just a make-shift shipwright. What responsibilities does he _want_ to take on? Now that he isn't limiting himself, there's a lot he can choose from.

This begs a large and well-drawn multicolored plan with different versions of himself drawn for comparison.

"Hey, are there any art supplies on the ship, and maybe somewhere dry for me to draw?" Usopp asks.

He receives smiles and multiple points towards a door off to the side on the main cabin with a white and brown ram's head carved into the center of the wood.

* * *

Late at night, when the sea finally falls quiet, Robin returns Luffy's hat. He comes up to the crow's nest during her watch shift, balancing tea and cocoa in a haphazard dance. She smiles when she sees him and takes the offered tea with quiet thanks. He seems content to spend the time in silence, looking out at the stars tonight, as they sometimes do together when he finds her in melancholy or pensive attitudes in the dark. She's a little of both right now, but to truly ponder it, she needs to talk it out this time.

Robin sets her tea down next to his hot chocolate which was empty five minutes after he sat down beside her.

She takes off the straw hat which she has cherished for nearly a month and holds it out to him. It's an extension of her captain, and it guarded her well over their turbulent stay in the city of Water 7, but now it's time for it to return to Luffy. She's safe, he doesn't have to worry about her anymore, charming as his concern is.

He goes to take it. Lingers over her hands, touches her palms.

"Ace thought so too. He didn't think he deserved to live either," Luffy says idly.

Her breath catches.

"He didn't know that he shouldn't do it alone. 'Cause sometimes only other people can see what we're really worth." Luffy takes the hat and settles it on his head. Robin's hands falter, still outstretched, and it takes a moment for her to pull them back.

She doesn't know what to say.

Luffy pulls the hat down so it covers his eyes.

"You can only die if you're happy. Now, on the sea, when you're with us and happy, you can die if you want," he says, like he has to pull the words out, and Robin's heart speeds up even as it aches, because it sounds like he understands her, understands the word _suicide_ hanging over her head, that he can't stop her if she's made up her mind. The understanding, it's almost too much for her to consider, though she knows little of his background. Not Luffy, anyone but Luffy…

"But I won't let you die sad." Luffy adjusts his hat again and meets her eyes, fervent looking.

Robin sits in the crow's nest on the most magnificent ship on the entire sea, next to her phenomenal inimitable captain, amid treasured nakama, sailing towards their dreams with the light touch of a child who knows what the word adventure really means, and what unconditional love still looks like.

"I— I want to live," she utters for the first time in her entire life. She surprises herself, but she means it. She can't say she wants to live without them, but here and now, she wants to live with them so much her body trembles. She's… _happy_ to still be here.

She didn't just survive the encounter with CP9 and the government this time; she won.

"Good. I do too." Luffy beams and lets out a breath. "I want you to live."

Robin smiles and laughs just a little. Luffy hums.

"I know it seems you already know my story," she says. "I don't know how, but I would like to tell it to you myself, if you're interested."

Luffy's eyes light up.

He listens attentively as she starts her story with tremulous words that grow surer as time passes. Luffy interrupts and asks her questions she never thought to explain before; what Ohara looked like, her favorite plants and flowers, what the Tree of Knowledge did, if Clover knew any good jokes, did it have tigers? It stirs a cloud of nostalgia instead of the deep throbbing pain dipping into her past has always brought on.

When she reaches the end of her narrative she takes a slow breath in and out and lets the brisk sea breeze clear out the musty air that's been lurking in her lungs. Luffy beams. Relief sweeps her, though she doesn't understand it. Luffy's known this whole time, however that happened. Telling him herself though seems to have done something to the energy around her because the tenseness from years and years of running has let go and she finds herself almost weightless without the oppressing pressure.

They sit in the dark for a while longer until they hear someone coming up— Franky, here for his first night watch.

The shipwright seems surprised to see both of them there, but smiles. Robin dips her head and says goodnight to both men. Now it's Franky's turn with the captain.

After staggering down on legs partially asleep, Robin goes back to the ladies' cabin. She slips in quietly, but realizes that Nami is still awake by her change in breathing.

"Did Luffy corner you in the crow's nest?" Nami asks.

The words clear up why the red-haired woman is still awake. Robin knows that Nami has an extremely special place in her heart for Luffy and Luffy alone. Everyone on the crew does to some extent, but the navigator's concern is more overt than any of theirs. Robin doesn't take it personally, although she had thought they were making progress.

"He did," Robin eventually answers while shrugging off her blue button down shirt in the dark.

"He likes doing that, even though he gets so sleepy in the morning." Nami's voice is that familiar mix of fondness and exasperation that anyone who knows their captain is intimate with. "Did you two talk about your dream?"

Robin pauses for a moment as she slips on her sleeping shorts.

"Yes."

Nami is silent after that, so Robin shrugs inwardly and lies down in her bed. Her eyes are only shut for a second when Nami speaks again.

"What— what is your dream, Robin?" Nami asks.

Robin's eyes open and widen minutely in surprise.

Nami's next words are rehearsed, adding another layer of charm. "I just realized that I never asked. As nakama, I figured it was about time I found out."

In the dark of the ship, a smile slips over Robin's face, and she knows that she's found her friends, her home.

And so she explains.

Because for someone whose island was destroyed, the wanting to know means more than she can ever say.

* * *

Ace is shoving a flank of beef into his mouth when he hears Thatch exclaim, "Hey, isn't that Ace's brother?"

The dining hall is relatively full this morning, so there are plenty of people nearby to recoil in disgust as Ace spits out the half-chewed cow. He turns towards the commander who was reading the paper beside their father's shoulder on a high stool.

"What?" Ace asks, trotting up to them.

Whitebeard pulls out a bounty from the paper and shows it to Ace, who promptly snatches it up. Ace laughs.

"Hoo, Luffy is going to be pissed!"

"What is it?" Thatch asks.

"His bounty is only 300,000,000 beri. It only doubled instead of tripling like last time," Ace says as he looks over his brother's photo.

"Tripled?" Thatch asks, and Ace freezes. He forgot that it tripled last time as in the last timeline. But Marco sighs from a nearby table.

"That's right, he was complaining about his bounty from last time even though it tripled from 50,000,000 to 150,000,000. He's kind of a brat," Marco says, and Ace pauses.

"Er, yes." Graceless. "What happened?" he asks his father, moving on. He wants to know where Luffy is in his search for nakama.

"Apparently he dispatched a governmental organization; Cipher-Pol, if you remember them. I've heard they were planning a coup, from some of my associates." There's a din from those nearby who remember the organization and all they did. Not big-fish, but certainly not small-fries.

Ace waits. And waits.

"That's it?" he asks at length. Apparently Luffy figured out how to be more subtle achieving his goals instead of attacking Enies Lobby. "No wonder it only doubled."

"That's it— that's it, he says," Marco mutters from the table.

"I dunno', I was expecting him to declare war on the World Government, or fight a Shichibukai." His words catch up to him, and he laughs, even though everyone else stares, except their father, who joins in.

"You and your brother are kind of scary," Thatch says, before he joins their cheer too.

"Well, if this young upstart is causing a fuss all on his own, perhaps it's time we stirred the waters once more. I think those recently coming into the New World haven't been properly briefed about our family," Shirohige says. Ace knows it's time now. The mourning period for Blackbeard and their family bond is over. Their father stands and throws the newspaper down.

"Which commanders would like to raid a naval base, and which would like to greet the new folks at the gate of the New World?" Shirohige asks.

Cheers rise from the men, and Ace, Thatch, Marco, Izou and all the other commanders nearby immediately start arguing and making their cases to get on the water.

It's normalcy, a new kind, that Ace never got to experience after his death and even in this new life, preoccupied as he's been.

Luffy's clearly doing well for himself, gathering his nakama and shaking up the world as he goes. It's time Ace did too.

* * *

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 **Setting the stage for the next act...**

 **Because I did so much AU work in Water7, I needed to go into more detail to tie up the ends and I'm pretty happy with how it looks, despite the length. In addition, I'm saying difference in time line to explain aqua laguna, and that it was Robin's presence that set off the coup, not a certain amount of time.**

 **The way things happened with Ussopp, this is the only way I see things resolving themselves...**

 **Also, Luffy was really struggling with life v. death at the start of this fic, so I think his opinion on Robin's view on suicide would be different.**

 **And there will be no romantic pairings in this fic; just friendship and siblinghood. :)**

 **Brook next time~**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**


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